Divided By the Vow
by Mysterious Loser
Summary: -Persona 3- Akihiko saw it in the window. He was positive that she'd like it, but he doubted that the ring could fit him. Maybe he'd turn his half into a necklace. He probably WOULD'VE gotten that ring, too. But he and Mitsuru weren't together anymore. COMPLETED!
1. A Lover in Captivity

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Persona 3. And the ring in this fic was one I saw in a store and thought it looked pretty damn cool.

**A/N:** All right, like my other P3 fanfic, I wanted to change up the pace again between Akihiko and Mitsuru. _And_ this is a multi-chapter story, unlike the last one. Please let me know what you think of it so far.

**I'm also writing** my stories in **order of importance.** If you want to see more of **this story,** please review and tell me so, or vote in the poll on my author's page. Thanks much!

**\/\/\/**

**Divided By the Vow**

**Chapter One**

**A Lover in Captivity**

**\/\/\/**

Akihiko couldn't find the strength to break his attention away from the store window, catching a glimpse of his face in the glass reflection from out of the corner of his eye. Bringing a hand from out his pocket, he slowly placed it against the glass, cold against his bare fingers, and traced the outline of the ring from the other side.

It was a beautiful, thick, silver band, cradled in a red box for everyone passing by to see.

But it wasn't just _any_ ring.

It was _the_ ring.

Engraved in the middle was a large heart with words written on both sides across the ring. Akihiko wasn't one for friendship bracelets or love charms, but _this_ ring split apart horizontally, creating two thinner bands.

One for a man.

One for a woman.

"True love always waits," he whispered, reading the words scrawled out across the ring.

The ring probably couldn't fit him, but it would fit _her_ perfectly. He could just wear it with a chain around his neck, he figured. It would still count. "True" was on the left side of the heart, "love" was written on the inside of the heart, and "always waits" was on the right side. He just had to decide what part of the ring he wanted—the part that separated with the heart, or the other half with the rest of the writing.

He wished that that was _all_ he had to worry about.

Akihiko wasn't one for love charms or silly rings that were meant to be worn as one until true love was found and the other half could be given to them.

True love didn't wait for _him._

He wanted to buy it, though. And he _would've_ too, five, maybe six months ago.

But he and Mitsuru weren't together anymore.

\/\/\/

The bell to the Lucky Cat souvenir shop jiggled when the door open, singing an obnoxious little tune until the door shut behind Akihiko, who was shaking off the cold. He shuddered and reached for the first button on the collar of his thick coat. No matter how many layers he wore underneath, he couldn't escape the December chill.

"You're early, Akihiko."

The boxer turned left to where the counter was, a boy about his age sitting behind the register with his legs propped up on the countertop and his arms resting against the back of his head. The boy flashed a grin and sat up straight, swinging his legs back to the ground. Akihiko returned the smile, though it was weak, and continued into the back of the store, moving around stands and clothing racks.

He finished unbuttoning his coat and slid his arms through the sleeves, leaving him in a white dress shirt and black slacks. Sloppily folding the coat, he held it in one arm and used his free hand to push the backdoor open. Moving into the employee lunchroom, he nearly collided with a woman carrying a purse and jingling keys.

"Hey, Aki," she smiled, her painted lips parting just enough to catch a glimpse of her white teeth. Silencing the noise she was making with her keys, she used the back of her hand to brush black bangs from her eyes. The rest of her hair was pulled back by a large hair clip. Akihiko had never seen her hair down before.

Giving her the same weak smile he had shared with the boy behind the counter, he said, "Hey Suzume." Turning his back to her, Akihiko closed the door he had come from and stared up at the hanger attached to the back of the door. Letting his coat unfold, he placed it on the back of the hanger and spun around to see that she was still giving him her undivided attention. "So, has it been busy?"

"Not really," she accompanied her answer with a brief head shake, her bangs swaying from side to side. "A couple of customers, mostly rude, but nothing that Tadao and I can't handle."

The boxer gave a soft chuckle, "Sounds like it. Looks like he's working hard, too."

"Oh, he's been behind the counter all day. He said that he's been working hard at school and the boxing team all week, so he needed a break."

"Hardly," he opened the door for her, gentleman habits kicking in, and waited for her to pass through. "He's been pretty lazy during practice, too."

"I figured as much." Suzume whirled around on her heel, surprising Akihiko, and stared up at him. "But I know that I can always ask you and you'll be honest. That's what I like about you, Akihiko."

If Suzume hadn't already been his colleague, then Akihiko wouldn't have known _how_ to take her words. But since they _had_ been working together for a little more than three months now, he was quite used to it.

"Well, you keep Tadao in line, Suzume. That's what I like about you."

She hummed a little and tossed her head back, almost seductively. "Really? Is that _all_ you like about me?"

He smiled and brushed past her, padding out onto the floor. He instinctively began to adjust the shirts in the glass cubes and straightened knickknacks around the store. He could hear her high heels click against the wood floor and stop halfway in the room.

"Well, I'm off. I've got to take Makoto to the physician today."

Akihiko figured that she was talking to Tadao, the boy behind the counter. His assumptions were proved to be true when he said, "What? Your little brother sick or something?"

"No, it's just his yearly checkup. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon." Again, her heels were clicking across the floor. The door opened and the little bell began to chime again. "Bye, Aki."

Turning his head from his position by the cubes, Akihiko gave a small wave, "Take care, Suzume. I'm closing with you tomorrow, right?"

She chuckled, her body swaying against the door. "I'm looking forward to it." Stepping outside, the door closed behind her, and Akihiko was left in an empty store with Tadao. He went back to cleaning and rearranging merchandise in the store, his mind trailing in and out of different things that were currently on his mind.

Akihiko was working part-time at Lucky Cat, and not because he had _wanted_ to. It had all started with the breakup between him and Mitsuru, something that he _still_ couldn't explain, even to this day. He thought that the two of them had been happy together, secretly holding hands, exchanging loving glances when the others weren't looking—it was almost like Romeo and Juliet, as silly as it sounded.

Akihiko always imagined that their relationship had been something on the _forbidden_ side.

It wasn't like the two of them hadn't seen it coming, either. He met her in middle school and spent all of his time with her—not because he was a member of SEES or anything like that, but because he had _wanted_ to. He had often talked about it with Mitsuru, who was always so uptight back then…maybe even more so now. But he talked about the future, careers, and, when he had found enough courage, took their conversations to a higher level.

"You ever dream of falling in love?" he asked one autumn day, when school was over, but the two of them hadn't found the will to move from their spots on the bleachers outside.

If there was one thing he could remember clearer than her response, it had been her silence.

He knew just about everything there was to Mitsuru. They talked all the time and shared secrets that the two had never shared with anyone else—even family. Though Shinjiro had joined SEES, the bond wasn't _quite_ the same between Akihiko and him as it was for Akihiko and Mitsuru. But a strong bond had formed between the three of them nonetheless. Akihiko wondered if maybe it was because it _wasn't_ Shinjiro that he had been in love with.

Finally she answered, "Sometimes."

And that was that.

But it wasn't just _that_ for Akihiko. He _had_ to know.

"Sometimes?"

"Yes. Sometimes."

He laughed, and later he realized that his laugh had been dry. "What do you mean, 'sometimes?'"

"Love just holds people back. It restrains you from releasing your full potential. That's why it's only just 'sometimes.'"

Akihiko snorted. Well, he didn't think about it only _sometimes._ And there were no restraints with _him._

"You must be lost in some thought, Akihiko," the voice caused the boxer to jerk back, nearly dropping the object in his hand. He whirled around to find Tadao directly behind him, laughing. "You've rearranged that cube at _least_ thirteen times in the last few minutes." Tilting his head to one side, he examined his friend more thoroughly before continuing, "Say, you look pretty worn. No wonder you didn't say much when you walked in. So what's eating you?"

"Nothing," Akihiko turned and placed the object in his hand back into the cube.

"You sound pretty dull for a little 'nothing.' You even let Suzume call you 'Aki.' Usually, you get on her case about that, and say that you don't let _anyone_ call you that silly nickname."

Akihiko left Tadao standing there while he moved on to clean something else. His eyes spotted a wrinkled shirt in the glass cubes on the other side of the store. Akihiko moved in that direction. Kneeling down, he pulled it out and refolded it. He could hear Tadao's footsteps closing in on him.

"Come _on,_ Captain. You seem to forget that I know _everything_ that's happening with you. You're thinking about that Kirijo chick, aren't you?"

"It's none of your business."

"Oh hoh!" the other boy threw his head back and laughed. "Says the boy who came crying to me three months ago and begged me to tell him how to win her back. Says the boy who asked _me_ to get him a part-time job so that he could make a little extra money. Says the _same_ boy who _used_ that money to buy my old car from off of me and take his driver's test with it. Yeah, but it's none of my business."

Akihiko shook his head, not feeling the _slightest_ bit guilty for releasing one of his famous exasperated sighs—ones that let _anyone_ else in the vicinity know that he was getting irritated, and not afraid to do anything about it.

But it_ was_ true.

Tadao was a skilled boxer in the ring and one of Akihiko's good friends, as well as teammate. When he had nowhere to turn, Akihiko had broken down in front of him, spilling all of his darkest secrets. To this day, he wasn't sure why he had done it. Akihiko was usually so composed in front of other people, especially under pressure.

It was Tadao who got him the job at Lucky Cat, and even offered to sell his old car to Akihiko so that he could afford a better one from off of the market. He had spent countless days teaching Akihiko how to drive, spending their hours driving in the more secluded parts of town during the night. It was one of the scariest things Akihiko had been forced to do, and it wasn't just the weirdoes in the dark that had frightened him.

Once, while driving, he had meant to hit the brakes in an attempt to slow down at Tadao's request. He realized quickly that the brakes were _not_ the brakes and the poor elementary school fence had to pay for his negligence.

"Get over!" Tadao screamed, ushering Akihiko into the backseat while he hopped into the driver's seat. Completely ignoring to buckle up when several janitors had emerged from different doors around the school to see what the huge collision was, Tadao used his car to successfully perform a one-eighty and speed away from the scene of the crime.

From then on, they practiced in wide, open lots, where even if Akihiko had momentarily mistaken the gas pedal for the brakes, nothing could be damaged…_too_ badly.

The white-haired boxer chuckled at the thought, his gloomy mood subsiding for a brief moment.

"Ha, I knew that would make you laugh." Taking a seat next to his Captain, Tadao cleared his throat and stared for a minute longer. "So, you gonna come clean? You're thinking about Mitsuru again, aren't you?"

"That obvious, huh?"

"It's pretty bad. I guess I can see why, though. Christmas is in a few weeks."

Akihiko stood up, still holding the shirt he had been working with in his hands. "I found what I wanted to give her."

"Wanted? So you're not going to?"

Mouth twisting, Akihiko averted his eyes, setting the shirt on top of the cubes. "It's a little inappropriate, seeing as we aren't together anymore."

"So I take it that you two still aren't on speaking terms?"

Akihiko opened his mouth to say 'yes,' but remembered that Tadao knew nothing of the Dark Hour or SEES. So instead, he said, "No, we're not."

Making a 'tsking' noise with his tongue, Tadao climbed to his feet. "Man, it's been about three months now, right? Since October fifth. It's December seventh now."

"Why are you keeping track?"

Jokingly, Tadao punched his friend in the shoulder, "Dude, it's a _man_ thing, Akihiko! Every guy knows that after a certain amount of time of the chick breaking up with you without a sign of _ever_ getting back together, it's time to move on. And it's the same for _you,_ too."

Akihiko watched the other man's face for a long time. Tadao was smiling, which wasn't unusual, since he was the class clown outside of the boxing ring. Really, he was telling Akihiko what he _truly_ thought. The white-haired youth turned away.

Would it really be right? To just…forget about Mitsuru? He had spent a couple years pining for her affection, then almost four years together _with_ the woman, and now he was expected to just _forget_ her after a few months of breaking up?

"I…guess…"

Tadao swung an arm around the other man's shoulder that he had earlier punched, and led his friend toward the window behind the counter. "Akihiko, buddy, it's time to move on. You're a fine catch, you know? Don't think we don't see how many hearts you've captivated. Being the Captain of the boxing team isn't something to be taken so lightly."

Akihiko's head turned to meet Tadao's eyes with somber ones. "It didn't help me keep Mitsuru."

Releasing his Captain's shoulders, Tadao stepped back, sighing. "_That's_ what I'm _talking_ about, Captain! This girl's got you so wrapped around her finger and she's constantly playing with your head, ya? That's what rich girls do, you know. They bring you up and then drop you. And they don't care because they're _rich._"

Akihiko's attention changed to the view outside the window. Several people were slowly making their way down the street, but what caught his eyes the quickest was the couple walking, hand in hand, behind the crowd. Tadao's words slowly reached his ears, and he thought about it for a minute.

"Mitsuru's not _that_ kind of a rich girl."

"Well…she _must_ be to just dump you like that. The way you get back at chicks like that is to get a _new_ girlfriend. It shows them that they're expendable, just like how they made _you_ feel."

"Hmmm…" Akihiko's eyes wandered back to his friend and he took a seat on the stool situated by the register.

"Look, why don't you move out of that dorm, huh? As long as you're in the same vicinity as her, you'll never heal. I've been thinking about moving out of my place, too. Say, we could get an apartment!"

Akihiko jolted slightly, the idea surprising him. "An apartment?"

"Yeah! You know, Suzume was talking to me about it, and she said that she'd even move _in_ if you decided to come along too."

Akihiko held his breath, not responding right away. The apartment didn't sound like a bad idea, but Suzume getting involved was a different issue. It was no big secret that she had a huge crush on Akihiko and was waiting for the perfect opportunity to let him know so. He wasn't sure if she knew about his and Mitsuru's situation, or if Tadao had told her even after Akihiko had _specifically _told him _not_ to, but it didn't really matter.

"Is that right?" was all he could say.

"You should be _honored,_" Tadao laughed. "Suzume is _hot,_ Captain. Any self-respecting guy would take her."

"Guess that that means I'm not self-respecting," Akihiko forced a grin and turned his head at the sound of the little bell on the door, interrupting their conversation. An older man and woman entered, eyes taking in the sights of the little store. "Good afternoon, folks."

"Good afternoon," the man replied.

The woman made her way to the counter, "You don't happen to have any calendars, do you? Or post cards?"

Akihiko inwardly smiled.

Tourists. And Lucky Cat was _definitely_ a tourist shop.

"Sure thing!" Tadao put on his friendly, shopkeeper's accent and walked around from behind the counter. "Now, we have some plain ones and others that have 'Port Island' written right on them. I'll go and show you some…" the three of them disappeared to the back of the store, leaving Akihiko alone behind the register.

Drifting back into his own little world, Tadao's thoughts echoed in his mind.

Forget Mitsuru, huh?

That was going to be hard.

He had been in love with Mitsuru Kirijo for a long time.

Maybe she had loved him back, and maybe she hadn't. But every time he pushed the issue, she would change the subject.

"You're just scared," he accused at the Cultural Festival of their freshman year. "You're just scared of the way you _might_ feel."

That whole week before the festival, the two of them had been fighting. He hadn't come _right_ out and said it, but he wanted Mitsuru to know. He wanted her to know that there were reasons _other_ than SEES for why he was battling the Shadows. And he knew that she had been busy helping the Student Council President prepare for the Cultural Festival, but he just couldn't sit still about his feelings any longer.

"I don't feel anything," but the shaky way she said it told him better.

"Nothing?" he had her pinned against a tree on the outskirts of the festival, where he thought no one could see them. "Not one little thing?"

He half expected her to brush him off and walk away, muttering something about having work to do. Another part of him shuddered at the thought of having to experience the rumored "executions."

But he _never_ imagined that she would just cower before him, using the back of the tree for support, and harshly whisper, "No."

It was then that he knew the truth.

Akihiko wasn't the brightest student in his class, or a mind reader, but he knew Mitsuru Kirijo _so_ well, he could see through her flimsy facades and tough words. She was hopelessly in love with him too, and, though she wouldn't admit it, probably _enjoyed_ being trapped by him like this.

So when he roughly kissed her, he wasn't surprised when she started kissing him back, body trembling in fright, her arms tightly encircling his waist. He didn't care _who_ saw them at that moment, even if it had been Takeharu Kirijo himself. This woman was _his_ and _his_ alone.

He pulled back long enough to stare at her, breathing hard, and whisper, "I love you."

She just smiled.

He was afraid that it would be the end of that, but when she uncharacteristically began to slide notes into his locker, asking him to meet her after school, Akihiko realized that he hadn't really known her at all. This side of Mitsuru was new to him and he dared to explore it as much as he could. So when she would silently take his hand as they walked through the park, or wasn't afraid to sit too close to him when they shared lunch together, he knew that she loved him back.

But they never told anyone, or spoke of telling anyone. Somehow, it came off as a mutual understanding that no one else needed to know. They kept up their little charade for nearly four years, and Mitsuru was more of an excellent liar than he had given her credit for.

\/\/\/

After his shift was over, Akihiko made a special trip back to the jewelry store he had visited earlier. It wasn't closing time yet, and so with the check he had cashed earlier that day, he used the money to buy that ring in the window.

"Size six, please," Akihiko told the jeweler. Mitsuru wore a six. Her fingers were long, but thin. Just another set of features that added to her never ending beauty.

"Here you are, sir," the jeweler held the ring in the palm of his hand. "That'll be sixty-eight forty-two."

"I want a silver chain too. A thick one—for men, that is."

The jeweler wordlessly left the boy at the counter, and Akihiko drummed his fingers on the countertop. He waited a minute longer before the old man returned, a silver chain draped from his hand. "This all right?"

"That's fine."

"Total comes to eighty-eight ninety-three."

Akihiko reached into his pocket, pulled out his wallet, and handed the jeweler a few bills. After a moment of tinkering with the register, the boy received his change and jewelry. Turning away from the older man, he took the silver band and, making sure not to separate it into two, slid it onto the chain. Reaching up behind his head, he fumbled with the clasp.

He was certain that the older man was watching him with curiosity, but Akihiko didn't care, nor did he want to ask for his help with the chain. He tried a little bit more and smiled when he finally felt the two link together. His hand trailing down the chain, it stopped at the ring he had so desperately wanted.

Desperately wanted to _give_ to her that was…

"True love…always waits…" he whispered.

Akihiko wondered if that was really true.

\/\/\/

Well, how did I do? Is it all right? Please review and let me know (please don't flame me)! Lol and just to let you guys know, I _am_ female, in case the above conversation between Akihiko and Tadao was offensive. XD

ML


	2. Parting Ways

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Persona 3.

**A/N: **Back with another chapter! Thanks to all of my reviewers and I'll try to keep my updates more consistent (But I ALWAYS say that lol). Hope you enjoy!

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**Divided By the Vow**

**Chapter Two**

**Parting Ways**

**\/\/\/**

It didn't take an incredibly observant person to recognize the tension in the dorms down at the end of the block. Fuuka's boom box was sitting out on the counter next to the cute Christmas tree she had worked so hard to decorate. Bouncy Christmas songs came from the speakers, the pressure from the volume beating against the speakers, but no one seemed to notice.

When Akihiko had walked in that night, the music was the only thing he could hear. Junpei was in the other room, slowly eating ramen, while Fuuka wiped down the table. Yukari was nowhere in sight, but neither was Mitsuru. Koromaru was tucked away in the corner of the room, gnawing on a chew stick that had been presented to him. Minato was on the couch closest to the wall, reading, and glanced up only for a moment to silently greet the boxer once the door had closed.

Akihiko returned the welcome with a weak smile and placed his coat on the rack beside him. He cursed Ryoji as he did it. Because of him, no one could enjoy Christmas. Because of him, the Fall was approaching. And because of him, he'd never be able to patch things up with Mitsuru because all of her attention was on the upcoming disaster. He offered silent pity to Aigis, who would have to spend her Christmas in a recovery tube.

Fuuka turned the stereo down.

"How was work, Senpai?" Minato asked, placing the bookmark between two pages. He set the book aside and leaned forward, folding his hands in his lap.

Akihiko shrugged and took the chair across from him. He tried to ignore the stares he was getting from Fuuka and Junpei across the room. "All right, I guess. It was slow all afternoon and the moment we tried to close, Tadao and I got bombarded by tourists."

Minato forced a chuckle. Fuuka, still carrying the dirty rag she had cleaned the table with, padded into the front room. "You look tired, Senpai. Should I make you some tea?"

"Don't trouble yourself," he told her, but he knew that she would do it anyway. Fuuka was just like that.

"Hey, Senpai," Junpei was in the room now, waving his rice-stained chopsticks like a fan. "Think you can give me a ride to the mall later?"

Akihiko cocked an eyebrow. Ever since he had gotten his license, Junpei was nonstop about asking for rides. "Why?"

"That new MMO I was telling you about comes out today. _Duh._"

The boxer rolled his eyes. "I was actually hoping to retire for the night, Junpei. Can't you take the bus?"

Junpei wasn't inconspicuous with the groan he replied with. He fell to the couch with a huff, cheeks puffed, and shook his head. "_No._"

"Well you're going to have to because I'm not going anywhere right now. It's cold out there and I'm sore from work."

"Uh-huh," the narrowed slits that were now Junpei's eyes were fixated on Akihiko. "And just how does one get sore from standing behind a counter all day?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I must have forgotten the part where inventory came in and I had to unpack and stock everything. And another thing, Junpei, you never give me any gas money. It's not like the mall is right around the corner, you know. I spend more in gas taking you where you want to go and back than I do on a sightseeing tour all around Port Island. And then you make me wait while you—"

"I think that's enough of that," Fuuka cut in, patting Akihiko on the shoulder. "You're really worked up today, aren't you, Senpai?"

Akihiko exhaled and leaned further back into the couch.

"You really _should_ take a cup of tea, Senpai," Minato chimed in. "You should see your face right now."

"All right, yeah, I guess so." The boxer nodded in thanks to Fuuka, who couldn't see him because she had already gone to the kitchen. "So," he changed the subject, avoiding Junpei's hateful stare, "What are you all doing with your evening?"

Minato's expression changed, surprisingly, and he chewed on his bottom lip. "Trying to stay out of Mitsuru-Senpai's way," he admitted in a low whisper.

"Ohhhh, yeah," Junpei's angry glare faded as his thoughts overcame him and his eyes turned upward. "She's in a _real_ bad mood, Senpai. I know you two don't really talk anymore, but you really don't want to talk to her now."

"I see…" Akihiko's attention turned to the teacup that had placed in front of his face.

"I'm actually curious about that, Senpai, if you don't mind my asking, of course. What _is_ wrong between you and Mitsuru-Senpai? You two just…stopped…talking a few months ago. Neither of you have said why or even given any acknowledgement that there's a problem."

"But we _all_ know that there's a problem," came another voice from the back of the room. All eyes turned to Yukari, who had just finished descending the spiral staircase and was advancing toward her friends. "Sorry, didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I won't deny that it's something that I think about, too."

Uncomfortable now, Akihiko could feel his cheeks burning from being placed upon the spot. Having no _real_ time to rehearse what he was going to say, he hadn't any idea where to even begin. Any time the question had been presented, Mitsuru was there to shut everyone down.

_They're getting smarter, I guess._

No one in that room knew that he and Mitsuru had used to be a couple. He was sure that they probably _suspected_ such things, but their relationship had been kept such a secret, Akihiko remembered that sometimes _he_ hadn't been sure if they were still together.

"M-Mitsuru's just been under stress is all. What with the Fall coming and her father's death, she's just trying to put a strong face on for everyone, that's all."

` "I hope you didn't get an A in Liars 101, Senpai, because that was a really lousy story you just told." Junpei showed off a perfect row of large, white teeth, accompanied with a smile that could put someone's eye out. "We all see the way her mouth twitches when you say something or how she'll walk out of a room when you walk in. None of us get that luxury."

"Is it really such a secret that you can't tell us?" Yukari pressured. "It's almost Christmas, and since we don't have that much time left together as it is, we should at _least_ make the best of it."

Fuuka and Minato's face fell. Junpei swatted at the brunette. "Way to go, Yukari! Thanks for reminding us, ya?"

"I'm not going to _pretend_ like you are, Junpei! Unlike you, I'd like to have a clear conscience when it's all said and done!"

"Oh ho ho! Coming from the girl who is always saying 'I don't wanna talk about it…I don't wanna talk about it…'" Minato had to conceal a snigger at Junpei's horrible interpretation of Yukari's voice.

"I do _not_ sound that whiny! Junpei Iori, you take that back!"

The intensity of the fight turned comical and Minato and Fuuka had to get involved in order to avoid a catastrophe between the two, but even it was hard to keep a straight face. Koromaru even got up from his spot in the corner to see what the commotion was and announced his presence with a series of barks.

_This_ was how Christmas was _supposed_ to be, Akihiko remembered. Back when Shinji, Mitsuru, and he were all together. He remembered his and Mitsuru's first Christmas together, and how Shinji found out about the incompatible duo's relationship.

Akihiko hadn't even told his best friend when things started to take off between him and Mitsuru. It wasn't because he didn't trust Shinji, but he knew what the other man would say to him.

"Women…" he would snort. "Waste of time."

Shinji was a member of SEES at that point, and living in the dorms too. Akihiko and Mitsuru had already been dating for some months at that point, but their first Christmas sent the boxer into excited shivers of anticipation at something new in their relationship. He wanted to make the effort to find the perfect gift, have the perfect dinner, and make the evening as romantic as possible. And in order to do that, he had to change a few things…

"Shinji, you need to stay out of the dorms this weekend," Akihiko blurted out as tactlessly as possible.

The other man sat across from him in the ramen shop, just getting ready to shove a heaping pile of noodles into his mouth. He let them fall back into his bowl with a graceless **PLOP!** and turned his eyes to the boxer, who could see nothing wrong in what he just said.

"Excuse me?"

That first part was as much as Akihiko had planned out, given that he wasn't exactly ready to tell him _why_ he wasn't wanted in the dorms for Christmas.

_Guess that was the most important part._

"Uh, well…" He thought up something quick, "Mitsuru's father is coming here for Christmas, and they want to spend father-daughter time together…"

"So then you're leaving the dorms for the weekend too, right?"

"Uh…"

"If you're taking the Intro-To-Lying class, I hope you aren't expecting an A."

"…"

Shinji went back to his ramen, not looking the least bit disgruntled about the conversation. That was always like him, too. Never caring one way or the other. He dipped his chopsticks into his ramen, twirled the noodles around them, and went on eating ramen. Akihiko felt extremely dissatisfied with the way that things had turned out. When the few minutes that passed between them were filled with silence, the guilt of having to toss his friend out for Christmas became too much to bear.

"Forget I said anything. You don't have to leave for Christmas."

"Thank you."

His appreciation wasn't genuine. It was more of a snide That's-What-You-Get 'thank you.' Shinji never said 'thank you' and meant it in its proper context.

_Just don't blame me if you walk in on something you could've gone the rest of your life without seeing._

And wouldn't Akihiko know it?

Christmas Eve. Mistletoe strung up everywhere. Shoes kicked off. Lights turned low. Jacket and sweater thrown to the side. No movement except for the shadows dancing on the wall coming from the light of the electric fireplace on the opposite wall. Two people making the love seat into a makeshift bed with heavy petting, sweat, and—

"Oh my God."

A bowl crashed to the ground, and a cup followed after. Two heads jumped up to look over the back of the couch on which they lay and saw a mortified Shinjiro Aragaki standing at the base of the stairs.

"That's something I could've gone the rest of my life without seeing."

"What are you doing staring!" Akihiko reached over to grab a shoe that had been pulled off during the heated moment and hurled it in Shinji's direction.

"I thought I heard robbers," the other avoided the projectile coming toward him and shook his head. "You know, if you wanted me out of the dorms because you were planning on getting into Mitsuru's pants, you could've just admitted it."

He trudged back up the stairs, leaving the bowl and cup on the floor, contents scrawled about and making a very thick mess.

"Don't lie and say you thought it was robbers!" the boxer called after him and then turned to Mitsuru, who looked very annoyed. "What?"

"You didn't tell him about us?"

Akihiko shrugged. "I thought you said not to tell anybody."

"He's your best friend and a part of the team."

"And he doesn't care. See? He went upstairs to leave us alone."

He leaned in for another kiss and Mitsuru used a hand to gently push him back. "Talk to him, or else there will be no more of this."

"Wha—?"

"_Talk_ to him."

It was times like these that Akihiko missed Shinjiro more than anyone else in the world, save his sister. But now, Mitsuru was thrown into that mix.

"What's going on, Senpai?" Fuuka nudged him on the shoulder.

"Oh," he mumbled, reality not quite coming back to him. "Nothing. Just spaced out for a moment."

Yukari sighed, irritated about something (Akihiko figured it was Junpei), and then shook her head. "You didn't hear what I said then, did you?"

The boxer blinked. "Say what?"

"About Mitsuru-Senpai. Look, we know something's been up with you two, so why not do kind of what we're doing?"

Suddenly not liking where the conversation was headed, Akihiko crossed his arms, "And what's that?"

"We're playing Secret Santa. Except I think everyone is getting Ken something."

"Ken…" Akihiko blew air through his lips and then said, "Actually I haven't seen him here tonight. Where is he?"

"He's staying at a friend's tonight. We sort of encouraged him to do it since he's been so down lately," Fuuka answered.

"And Mitsuru?"

"Present," announced a voice. All eyes turned to see a graceful woman take the last two steps down from the staircase and approach the group, the tips of her boots clicking against the floor. "And I would appreciate if you would not gossip about me behind my back, Takeba. It's rude."

"Eavesdropping is worse," Akihiko mumbled under his breath.

Everyone cowered, for they knew what was coming next.

"Excuse me, Akihiko?" she towered over him with an air of supremacy that hung like a veil around her. Her eyes darkened and her mouth tightened into a thin line.

Akihiko didn't dare face her in this state, and always feared her famous "executions," but given the circumstances of the day, he wasn't sure if he could continue to go on by excusing her behavior.

"She wasn't gossiping about you, Mitsuru. If you were standing there listening, you'd already know that. Stop being so melodramatic."

By the end of his words, Akihiko's patience had reached his end. He knew she wasn't upset because of what Yukari had said; she was upset because he was sitting _here_ in the dorms. More in the last month she had made it painfully clear that she would rather him not be there anymore.

He knew why. A month ago, her dad died, and they…

Well, that didn't matter now. A night that was supposed to bring them back together simply tore what little bit of love they had left apart.

She probably kept him around because he was a part of SEES, and for no other reason. Mitsuru never looked him in the eyes anymore, even in battle.

"Melodramatic? How dare you say that to _me._"

"Oh, stop being all high and mighty on yourself, Mitsuru!" Quickly rising to his feet, Akihiko surpassed her in height, and made her know so by looming over her the same way she had done to him.

"Please!" Fuuka begged. "It's Christmas! Don't fight!"

Instead of saying anything else, Mitsuru glowered and struck the boxer across the face.

The sting was painful, but not as much as the fact that it had been _her_ who had hit him. Akihiko didn't even bring a hand up to his face to trace the wound. He let it simmer there, an obvious welt appearing on his skin. He continued to stare at her with sad eyes, trembling lips, and nothing to say. For a moment, he was sure he caught a spark of regret within her. He knew it was unlike Mitsuru to react in such a way, especially toward him. But then her eyes hardened and the lock of hair that always covered her left eye fell back into place. She had transformed back into the same monotone, unfeeling Mitsuru the group all knew and feared.

Silence passed the group, and he knew that everyone was watching Mitsuru. The only thing that could be heard at this point was a silent hum coming from the stereo, which still continued to play joyful Christmas music. That was how Christmas was _supposed_ to be. That's how it had been for the past few Christmases. It wasn't fair. God it just wasn't _fair!_

What had he done to make her stop loving him? What had he done to make her hate him so? And above all else, he regretted November the fourth most of all. Because of that night…if that night had never happened…then maybe Mitsuru would at _least_ still give the occasional "hello" in his despondent direction rather than nothing at all.

"I will not be talked to in such a manner," Mitsuru finally spat, but Akihiko caught a small break in her voice. She continued, "For someone who doesn't pull their weight in SEES, you certainly are quick to use that tongue, aren't you?"

That stung. But, like in the ring, no matter the opponent, Akihiko never missed an opportunity to strike back.

"Then maybe you don't need a slacker such as myself to be a part of your nonsensical tea party, Mitsuru. I'll leave right now."

Whirling around on his heels, he brusquely walked toward the stairs, trying the best he could to retain his composure and resist bolting out of the room.

"Senpai, wait!" he heard Fuuka call after him.

"Mitsuru-Senpai, why would you go and say something like that! He's—"

Akihiko didn't wait for Junpei to finish his argument before he was up the next level and stopped for a moment to catch his breath, his body shaking and his heart racing. As if on cue, tears began to brim at his eyes and his breath shortened. He could hear the voices from below rise in tone and become more heated as the junior classmen ganged up on Mitsuru, incriminating her for the injustice of her words and actions. She tried to defend herself, but Akihiko could hear more of Junpei and Yukari than anybody else.

He hadn't realized that Junpei liked his company so much, and after always getting on his case about everything, especially the rides. It slightly lessened Akihiko's dismay, but only by a very small margin. Fiercely using a sleeve to wipe away the awaiting tears, he sniffled and continued to his room.

Once he stepped through the door, he barricaded himself in, blared his stereo, and pulled a duffel bag out from under his bed. It was old, dusty, and was the one the boxer had used the day he had moved into the dorms. How ironic that now he was using it to move out. Quickly and efficiently, he emptied his drawers of his clothes, and anything else that seemed important.

Only then had Mitsuru's words sunk in and made him come closer to breaking down than they had when she had first said them. He didn't pull his weight? Nonsense. He was one of the hardest workers in SEES. He was proud of his ability to maintain his grades at school, work part-time, _and_ fight the Shadows. She could base her accusations on nothing tangible, or anything that was worth Akihiko's time to listen to. He wasn't sure who Mitsuru had turned into, or why, but it didn't matter anymore. His heart shattered, he zipped up on side of his duffel bag, waiting until he was done with everything before he turned off his boom box.

The welt on his cheek pulsated against the head and was still stinging. But he wasn't sure if it was the physical pain or emotional pain that made the sting worse.

The music was the only thing that could drown him out while he cried, and no one could hear.

He knew he should've seen this coming all along. His worries started when Mituru came to him about her father. Her moods were just starting to change then, although no one but he could realize it. She became more dependent on him, constantly leaning against him, taking hold of his hand as though she were afraid to let go. They'd sit on his bed and say nothing, listening only to the sound of the ticking clock on Akihiko's dresser.

He remembered that one day, he finally found the strength to break the ice.

"What's wrong?" he had asked.

"My father's looking for a suitor for me."

It wouldn't be the last time she'd answer with that. And how Akihiko _hated_ hearing it. Every few months, a new suitor would come along. It wasn't as though Takeharu didn't _like_ Akihiko, for he liked him well enough, and Akihiko _hoped_ that it wasn't just because he was a Persona user and a member of SEES. But Akihiko didn't live up to the standards that dear old daddy had placed on his unattainable daughter. He wasn't rich—far from it, actually, and he didn't have a steady income. He didn't have a set future, like she had, and he couldn't even _drive,_ for crying out loud.

Akihiko often wondered that if, perhaps, he _changed_ his way of life, he might, one day, live up to Takeharu Kirijo's impossible standards for the daily life.

He wanted to tell her a lot of things. There were so _many_ things he wanted to say! Like how he would do whatever it took to make her father appreciate him, or how he wanted her to run away with him, despite the fact that they had no money or anywhere to run to. But all he could find himself saying each time she told him this was, "…I see."

Maybe it _was_ his fault they broke up after all.

No…He hadn't seen it coming, to be truthfully honest, but she _definitely_ could've picked a better time to tell him.

Shinjiro wasn't even gone a day before she came upon him, arms crossed over her chest. Akihiko had been clinging to the table from his best friend's wake, tears staining his red cheeks. He sniffled a little bit, hoping that she had come to comfort him. He wasn't surprised to find that she appeared unsettled, her eyes reflecting sorrow, and the ends of her lips were trembling.

But it wasn't about what he thought it was.

"I think we should break up."

The words hit him blindside and he doubled over like he had taken a punch. Somehow finding the strength to release himself from the table, his knees wobbled together and he took an unsteady step toward her.

He heard her, but didn't _want_ to hear her—didn't _want_ those words to register in his head. His mouth open and closed several times, as though gasping for air, and found that he had a hard time focusing in on her.

Why now? Why?

"W…W…What…?"

"It's over, Akihiko," she straightened her back, as though this were a speech she had prepared for all along. "_We're _over."

The second wave was much more difficult to deal with than it had been when she first spoke. He staggered backwards against the weight of the meaning in those words. Separated, they were just single words—break, over, think—little words like that. But when they were put together in the way that _she_ had put them together, it came at him powerfully. She knew _exactly_ how to break him.

"Wh…What…What are you _talking_ about!" he screamed, his voice echoing in the auditorium. He couldn't believe the betrayal. He couldn't believe what she was saying to him. Over? Them? After nearly _four_ _years_ of saying 'I love you' to each other…

That was it?

She shifted, uncomfortably. He knew that she hated it when he yelled, so he had always tried not to yell often.

"Akihiko, please try to understand…" and she was talking to him like she was talking to a peer, or a member of Student Council, or even a member of their own little SEES! She wasn't talking to him like she was talking to a _boyfriend, _which, up until now, he had _been._ "Now that Shinjiro's gone, there are other matters to tend to. We _have_ to think about the good of the future."

His eyes narrowed, dangerously, and he could almost visualize the daggers spearing themselves into her. He clenched his fist so tightly that it became numb shortly after, and he could feel his nails digging into his skin.

He didn't care.

"So what? You're breaking up with me to _protect_ me?"

"I'm breaking up with you because I need to start thinking for the good of the family."

His heart shattered.

Every ounce of anger fled from him and his fist unclenched, shaking. Shaking. His whole body was shaking. For the good of the family? What, _her_ family? Was he not _good_ enough to be her boyfriend? Was he not a part of _her_ family? The one person in his whole world that could destroy him had done it successfully and without remorse.

Or just cause, for that matter.

"For the…for the good of the family?"

Though she, too, was trembling, she put on her best face and held her arms together so tightly, he was sure she'd squeeze the air right out of herself. "Yes," she said, almost confidently. Confidently? What the? "Listen, Akihiko. We've been fooling around far too long. If we had been paying better attention to the situation instead of acting like hopeless little love birds, then maybe we could've prevented Shinjiro's death."

What? _What?_ "What!" he bellowed, all of his anger returning. "Are you daring to _imply_ that Shinjiro's death was caused because of _our_ relationship!"

She was scared. He _knew_ she was scared. But it was Mitsuru he was facing, here. She wouldn't back down, not even from him. "You and I _both_ forgot, Akihiko! You and I _both_ allowed Amada into SEES, _forgetting_ who it was who had killed his mother! If we had been paying better attention, we could've seen the boy's animosity for Shinjiro more _clearly!_ We could've stopped them…We could've _saved_ him…"

If he didn't love her so much, he would've marched up to her and given her a well-deserved slap across that pretty face of hers. Maybe it would've knocked some _sense_ into that arrogant skull. Maybe it would break this stupid illusion she had going on that it was because of _their_ love for each other that Shinjiro had to die. Maybe then…just maybe…

But he couldn't do that.

"You're in denial, Mitsuru! You want someone to _blame!_"

Her voice was far beyond even, but it certainly didn't try to compete in the screaming match that he had set up. Her perfect posture was slowly beginning to deteriorate to a lowly slouch, and she hid her face behind her long red hair. "That's not true, Akihiko. I've been meaning to tell you this for a while now, and Shinjiro's death was what prompted me to do it."

Again, taken aback by her words, Akihiko stumbled backwards until he hit the table he had been clinging to just moments before. He could feel it shake against him, pictures and other memorabilia of Shinjiro wobbling. His tears were flowing freely, though he wasn't quite sure when that had happened. The knife in his heart was turning by itself, twisting and wrenching within him.

So she had been meaning to break up with him for a while now, huh? And she used Shinjiro's death as the perfect time to bomb him with it? What a way to add insult to injury.

"W-What?" he desperately looked around the room, as though half expecting to see her father in the background, calling the shots like Akihiko had imagined he would. Or maybe one of her suitors, looming over the two with a wicked smile on his face. But when the boxer found that they were totally and utterly alone, it was clear that this was Mitsuru's decision and Mitsuru's decision alone. "But we were so _happy_ together, Mitsuru!" he pleaded. "What happened to make that all change? Did I…Did I do something to hurt you?"

His eyes searched hers, the lump in his throat growing bigger and bigger. He couldn't even swallow, but his mouth was dry, strange as it was. He couldn't understand anything.

"Akihiko…" she was back to standing dominantly, her arms still crossed and she looked down on him as though he were a child being scolded by his mother. "Look at you. Look at _me._ We have nothing to offer each other." He was just about to protest when she added, "You don't like a ritzy lifestyle, but you're always talking about running away together. Running away and going _where?_"

This time, she _did_ wait for him to answer, but he wasted his answer with an open mouth, fighting for words. Nowhere.

They could go…nowhere.

"My…my social status," it came as a whisper. "You're talking about my social status. I don't have any money to offer you or a name. That's what this is about…" He hung his head, shamefully, and watched as two tears escaped from his eyes and fell to the floor below.

He didn't have a job, didn't have a car, he went to school and fought Shadows. Being the Captain of the boxing team certainly didn't have its advantages here. She was still going to break up with him.

"Yes. I—"

"I can't _believe_ that you could be so shallow," his anger gave him the strength to glare at her, teeth clenching. "Four _years_ and it's just _now_ a problem, Mitsuru? Why didn't you tell me about this _before?_"

"I was young and foolish back then, Akihiko. I _believed_ in you. I wanted to believe that we could do _anything_ if we just loved each other. But we're older now. We're not children anymore. We have our futures to think of."

"Foolish huh?" somehow, he managed to swallow the ever-growing lump in his throat. "Our love was foolish, is that what you're telling me?" He expected silence from her. Silence was her defense mechanism. If she didn't want to answer a question, she would remain silent. He damned her and her stupid silence. _Nothing_ was _ever_ solved with silence.

Not kids anymore…Puppy love? _That's_ what she got from their relationship? So now that they were _older,_ she had come to the conclusion that he could never _support _her. That he could never give her what she _needed._

He shook his head, eyes still hard and teeth still ground together. Just as he had expected, she remained silent. He wanted her to speak. He wanted her to say _something._ _Anything._ He was tired of silence. Silence was the reason they were breaking up. Silence was the reason she couldn't tell him all the things she had been feeling for however long it had been she was feeling them.

Emitting a low growl from the back of his throat, he spat, "Damn you, Mitsuru."

Akihiko stormed past her, concentrated on the auditorium door at the other end of the room. He didn't expect her to say anything else to him on the way out.

That damned silence of hers had her clenched in its fist.

Three months went by of near silence between the two, and the only time that words were exchanged were the times that they had to pretend to be the warriors of SEES. Akihiko was surprised that no one had noticed the tension between the upperclassmen. Maybe it was because he and Mitsuru were already pegged as the serious, stubborn types. Or maybe it was because they were great liars.

Whatever the case was, no one seemed to catch it.

…At _first,_ that was.

November the fourth introduced absolute silence between the two and alerted the rest of the team of the tension between the two. If Akihiko knew now what he didn't know then, he would've stopped it before it had gotten too far.

That damned night…

"Senpai?" and a loud knock was the follow-up.

Akihiko wouldn't have been able to hear Minato through the music, but the boxer realized that his CD had ended a few minutes before.

Sighing, he thought a moment about what he wanted to do. He wasn't in any mood to see any of his teammates, but he desperately didn't want to be alone. Before any objection could enter his mind, he unlatched the lock, turned the knob, and pulled the door open.

It suddenly dawned on Akihiko that the navy-haired boy could probably see the red eyes and tear-stained cheeks from where he had been crying. It was too late to go back now. Stepping aside, the boxer silently granted permission for the other to enter the room. He shut the door immediately after.

"I don't think you can hide that something's wrong between you and Mitsuru now," Minato started, and then realized that that was probably the wrong thing to say. He quickly added, "I'd like to help out if I can."

Akihiko snorted and returned to his packing. "I don't think that that's possible."

"What's up with the two of you anyway? I've never seen you two go at each other's throats like that before."

"Well…" the boxer wanted to chuckle at the thought of prior memories, "…maybe not that badly, no."

"Did you run over a Student Council member with that car of yours to make her that mad at you?" It was meant as a joke to lighten the mood, but Akihiko could only take it as minimal humor in his state of mind. Nevertheless, he tried not to show his displeasure.

"If only that were it," he put the last of his shirts into his duffel bag before zipping it up.

"Then tell me what it really is."

Akihiko stopped, his hands still on the bag, and he realized that he was still shaking. He wanted to…so badly even…but…

"No. I…I can't." He closed his eyes tightly, "It doesn't matter now anyway."

"If you could've seen how Yukari and Junpei went to bat for you, I'd doubt you would say that," Minato crossed his arms. "Fuuka's very upset you're leaving SEES."

"It's not like I _want_ to leave," Akihiko nearly tripped over his words, flattered at the idea of his younger classmen standing up for him, "but I can't be somewhere where I'm not wanted. Mitsuru and I will make things go badly for everyone. The best thing for SEES would be if I just left."

"Really? You _really _think that that's the best decision for everyone? What Mitsuru-Senpai said back there was pretty unfair. We couldn't have gotten as far as we have without you, Senpai, you've gotta know that."

Akihiko released a small chuckle and placed his stuffed duffel bag on the floor. There wasn't much else he wanted, and he could always come back for his punching bag and boxing gear. For now, he just wanted to get out of the dorms and think.

"She just said that out of anger," the boxer said. "I know she didn't mean it."

"But I know it still hurts." Minato stopped Akihiko from picking up his bag. The boxer looked at the younger boy, puzzled. "Don't stop fighting in SEES, Akihiko. Please don't."

It was the first time he had heard his name spoken without a 'senpai' attached to it by him. It was unfamiliar to hear, and probably planned out by Minato to stall him a bit longer. Their fearless leader was good at those kinds of things.

Sighing, Akihiko reached for his bag again. Minato pulled it out of his reach. "Minato…Look…I—"

"Everyone wants you to stay."

"Everyone except Mitsuru."

Minato gave the other a sly smile that raised questions. "On the contrary, you had her very taken aback when you said that you were leaving SEES. I don't think she thought you would do it."

Akihiko's interest was piqued. He stood upright, forgetting the bag entirely, and crossed his arms. "What are you talking about?"

"You didn't see the look on her face when you told her you were leaving?" The boy paused and thoughtfully said, "No, I suppose not since you were already climbing the stairs by that point…Anyway, you caught her so off-guard that when Junpei tore into her, she wasn't even paying attention for the first ten or fifteen seconds. She just watched you leave."

Akihiko wanted to read more into Minato's words, but was so tired of trying to figure Mitsuru out. Did it even matter anymore?

"If I decide to stay in SEES—"

"Mitsuru-Senpai has no say on the matter," the leader cut in. "I think it's a unanimous vote against Mitsuru. Junpei even added the threat of leaving if she wouldn't let you stay in SEES." Akihiko remained silent for a moment, eyes falling to the floor. "Besides," Minato added, "some time apart might even settle whatever it is that's going on between you two."

_I doubt it._ But Akihiko bit his tongue.

Still, there was a possibility that if he wasn't around anymore, it would give more time for Mitsuru to think, not that it would make much of a difference. When that girl had her mind made up, there was no changing it.

"If you won't tell me what's wrong with you two, please don't add to it by leaving the team. Please?"

Akihiko continued to stare at the floor, thoughts running rampant in his mind. He couldn't handle seeing Mitsuru again after all of this. What was he supposed to say now? What would she say to him? Would she make him feel unwelcome? …Well, she did that anyway, but…

"I'll think about it," Akihiko reached for his bag and slung a strap over his shoulder.

"Should I be happy with that answer?" but Minato appeared dissatisfied.

"It's the only answer I can give right now," Akihiko opened the door and stepped out into the hall. "It's not as easy as you might think it is, Minato. It's not like Mitsuru and I are just squabbling over something like taking turns driving her motorcycle. It's more complicated than that. If I remain in SEES, her bitterness toward me might escalate in fights. I can't risk getting anyone hurt."

"You're increasing that risk by leaving the team," the other boy argued. "You can't leave the team…"

His words moved Akihiko, but it was still a difficult choice to make.

"Give me a little bit of time," Akihiko announced. "Mitsuru too. I think after a couple of trips up Tartarus without me might soften her. Believe me when I say that I don't want to leave SEES, but I think that we need some space right now."

"So…that means you'll stay in SEES?" Minato appeared hopeful.

Akihiko grimaced. It looked like their leader got what he wanted after all.

"Yeah. I'll stay."

The boxer turned to walk down the staircase, but not before seeing a smile cross the other boy's face.

Akihiko's heart grew heavy with each step he took down the stairs, the duffel bag anchoring him down. By the time he got down to the front room, everyone had left save the one person he wanted to see least.

Mitsuru sat in the recliner in the corner of the room, hands on her thighs and looking rather unsettled. Her eyes met his and he shot daggers in her direction. As though taking the silent message, she allowed her eyes to drop. Adjusting the bag on his shoulder, Akihiko grabbed his cell phone with his free hand from his pocket. Flipping it open, he dialed the only person he could think of at the moment who could help him.

And he wanted to do it in _front_ of Mitsuru.

He pulled the phone away from his ear while it rang, and he shot another glare in Mitsuru's direction. She was trying very hard not to look at him, but was failing miserably at it.

On the third ring, a tired voice answered, _"Hello?"_

"Tadao," Akihiko looked back to Mitsuru. She was definitely watching him now. She knew who Tadao was through Fuuka, who often visited Akihiko's work, as she was fascinated by all of the souvenirs and often spoke of Akihiko and his co-workers.

Tadao's spirits uplifted, _"Oh, hey Akihiko! What's up?"_

"I've been thinking, and I want to take you up on your offer on getting an apartment with you and Suzume."

With that, he could see the fear in Mitsuru's eyes.

He would be living with another woman.

_"Really?"_ Tadao gave a hearty laugh and Akihiko could envision him pumping his fists into the air. He knew how badly Tadao had wanted to move out of his house, and desperately needed an excuse to do so. _"Awesome man! I'll call up Suzume. My uncle actually owns the complex down by the mall, so I can probably get a hook-up through him. I'll give you a call back and let you know."_

"I'll just swing by your place and we'll talk," Akihiko said. "Mind if I crash at your place for the night?"

_"You have to ask, Captain? I've been bugging you to get out of that hellhole dorm forever now. Get your stuff and head on over. I'll unlock the door for you."_

Tadao hung up and the boxer stuffed the phone into his pocket. There was a pause and Akihiko headed for the door.

"Akihi—"

"I don't want to hear it, Mitsuru." He whirled around on her, her eyes the softest and saddest he had seen in months. He couldn't break. Not again. He broke that night for her and it was the worst thing he realized that he could've done.

He stared at her, her lips nearly trembling.

"I hope you're content with where you're going in life," he said, hand on the doorknob. "I'm sorry it didn't work out between us."

He stepped outside, closing the door behind him, and fished out his car key.

_I really __**am**__ sorry._


	3. A Fresh Start

**Disclaimer:** I wish Shinji hadn't ::spoiler::

**A/N:**Here with another installment. Thank you to all of my reviewers! I'll try my best to please :-D

**SO! WARNING!**

About halfway through this chapter is a flashback that is sexual in content. I mean, it's not _that_ graphic, but you can definitely tell it's sexual. I didn't want to have to re-mark the story as rated M, so it's been toned down for younger audiences, but read at your own risk. There aren't any more sexual scenes for the rest of this fanfic, but if people think I should re-mark this as M, I will.

**YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!**

With that, I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

**\/\/\/**

**Divided By the Vow**

**Chapter Three**

**A Fresh Start**

**\/\/\/**

"Here we are," Tadao let the strap of his bag slide from off of his shoulder, down his arm, and land on the floor with a deep thud. He looked around the new apartment with a grin on his face. "Told you my uncle could hook us up."

Akihiko halfheartedly mirrored the smile. It was indeed a nice place. Small, but nice. And it smelled of new paint. For some reason, Akihiko liked the smell of new paint. It meant something new—a change.

Sometimes change was good.

...But sometimes it wasn't.

Akihiko hadn't slept at all the night he went to Tadao's after the fight with Mitsuru. Tadao had even been a nice guy and let the boxer have his bed while the other took to the couch in the living room. But Akihiko still couldn't sleep. He wasn't used to a new place that didn't have his bed and decorations. He wasn't used to a new place where he wasn't going to wake up, walk down the stairs, and grab his usual protein drink breakfast from out of the fridge.

And he definitely wasn't used to a place where he wasn't going to wake up to see Mitsuru's face, scowling or not.

With endless sighing, he had tossed and turned all night.

The next morning, as promised, Tadao took the boxer to his uncle's apartment complex and the two talked price, lease, and terms and conditions. Akihiko, though meant to make himself more involved in the conversation, found himself shrinking back in the chair while the two talked to each other. Price between three people was 12,000 yen...

"And _only_ if you agree to take Akiko in."

"Aww _man!_" Tadao grabbed the baseball cap on his head and tried to pull it down over his face. He was unsuccessful. "Little sisters are a pain in the butt, Satoru..."

"_Uncle_ Satoru to you, Tadao." The older man sat back in his chair. It creaked under his weight, but he paid it no mind as he crossed one leg over the other. "We may be related, but you're also one of my tenants. It would not be kind of me to treat you differently from those who pay full price for an apartment. Each of you pay 12,000 yen on the condition that Akiko comes to live with you."

"Why do you want Akiko with me?" Tadao stuck his tongue out. "Mom won't just let that fly, you know."

"Your mother is my sister, as you well know, Tadao. Ever since your father left, she's had to take care of you and your sister."

"Don't regurgitate to me what I already know," the teenager crossed his arms, annoyed. "You want me to take Akiko off of mom's hands cuz mom can't afford to take care of us anymore. Isn't it just easier if _I_move out? One less mouth to feed."

Instead of taking offense, like most would have done, Satoru chuckled wholeheartedly and shook his head. "Akiko's sick, Tadao. You know that. With a part-time job and school, and between the three of you, you can all look after Akiko. Your mother and I have already spoken, Tadao. She is most certainly _not_ against this."

Letting his head hang for a few moments, Tadao blew air through his mouth and muttered, "It's a conspiracy. I know it."

"I'm not opposed to those conditions," Akihiko, who had been silent the whole time, said. "Especially since Suzume's moving in with us. She's home-schooled and works morning shifts anyway. Tadao has swing and I have closing most of the time. Between the three of us, I'm sure that one person can always be there to look after Tadao's sister."

"You're not supposed to _agree_ with him!" Tadao hissed, an aura of betrayal swarming around him.

"Why not? We're getting a steal of a deal on rent, utilities included, and we make more than that at the Lucky Cat. Besides, it's good to look after your siblings, Tadao." Akihiko tried to swallow the thought of Miki, but it was too hard.

"_Cap~tain!_" Tadao whined, but immediately stopped. Sighing loudly, he turned back to his uncle and said, "Fine, three bedroom apartment, Akiko and I share a room...Anything _else_ I should know about before we sign the lease?"

"Nope. That about covers it." Satoru's grin extended from ear to ear as he pushed a pen and a long slip of paper in the younger boy's direction. Tadao took it and hunched over the paper, eyes skimming the content. Finally bored of reading, he brought the hand containing the pen up and began to write. "Your mother and I will be stopping in to check up on Akiko, Tadao, so no funny business."

"You're a mean, old man," Tadao's hand jerked up and down more rapidly than before as the pen scrawled out what was supposed to be a signature. He stepped back so that Akihiko could do the same. "Suzume gets off work at two so she'll be by after to sign the lease."

"I'll be here." Taking the document from Akihiko, Satoru turned to his cabinet to file it away. "The key to your apartment is right there next to my pencil cup. It's building 187, apartment 34. On the second level I believe. Oh, and Tadao?"

Tadao snatched the key up, "What?"

"Ms. Ojima lives downstairs. I know you like to pretend to box in your room while listening to loud music, so I'm going to tell you now that it's not going to happen here."

"Who is this 'Ms. Ojima' then, Satoru? Your mistress away from auntie?"

Clearing his throat sternly, Satoru glared at his snickering nephew and answered, "She is an eighty year-old woman who _deserves_ respect, Tadao. She pays her rent one week in advance, informs me of misconduct from you young _hooligans_ and always sends Kazue and me flowers on our anniversary. And I'll have you know _better_ than to refer to your Aunt Kazue in such a disrespectful manner. And pay _good_ mind to Ms. Ojima! I'll hear of it if you don't!"

Akihiko had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing and Tadao spouted something in the broken German that he had picked up from a friend at school whom Akihiko wasn't too fond of. Tadao must've thought that his uncle didn't understand German, but was sorely misled when Satoru shouted something right back at him. Akihiko knew bits and pieces, but not enough to know the entire argument. Still, the gist of it was that Tadao was in big, big trouble.

"What do you think?"

Akihiko felt something nudge against him and he shook himself out of the dream world that he had immersed himself in.

"Huh?"

Tadao was standing in front of him, blinking. "Captain, you zoned out? Aw, _c'mon!_ Why would you do that now? You gotta tell me what you think of this place! ...Especially since my rotten uncle is bringing Akiko by in an hour. At least by then Suzume will be home. But I gotta go relieve her. Good thing you got the rest of the day off, huh?"

Akihiko looked off to the side. It was Sunday, and he had homework. Even though he had agreed to keep an eye on Akiko, he would be stuck at home with Suzume as well. The boxer hadn't thought of that. This was going to be an interesting change of pace after all.

"Yeah," the platinum haired boy agreed and slowly moved past his friend to observe the apartment. "That's good."

"Uh-oh, you're drifting away again, aren't you?"

Akihiko didn't answer this time. He stared at the wide, open room before him, noting that they were all going to have to pitch in to get furniture. The carpet was neutral and went well with the white walls. It led into a narrow hall that didn't go far, and there was a kitchen on the left with a refrigerator and dishwasher that could be found within. Down the right end of the hall were three doors that led into each of the rooms. On the opposite wall was a bathroom, and Akihiko guessed that the other bathroom could be found in the master bedroom.

"Suzume already claimed the master bedroom since there's a bathroom in there. Guess that means that you, Akiko, and me will be sharing this one." Tadao, as though he had been reading the boxer's thoughts, pushed the door open and turned on the light to illuminate a nicely spaced bathroom with a high ceiling. There was a bathtub on one end and the toilet was across from it. There was a shiny, deep counter with mirrors on each side and drawers underneath. "We'll have to make sure it stays clean for Akiko. My uncle said that mom told him that that's one of the conditions. That old woman..."

"Don't be so disrespectful toward your mom," Akihiko scolded. "You only get one mother, Tadao. Just remember that."

The other boy appeared to be shocked at the remark, but the boxer wasn't sure because his attention was on the shower, toilet, and home welcoming plunger beside it.

"Wow, Captain, you're pretty philosophical today. I hope you lighten up after a few days of being here."

Akihiko chuckled dryly, but his mind wasn't on the conversation at the moment.

He still couldn't believe that he wasn't living in the dorms anymore.

Akihiko absentmindedly moved out of the bathroom and into the hall, searching for the room at the end.

"Akiko gets the middle room," Tadao went on, probably wondering if his senior was paying listening. "Mom says I have to set her room up and keep an eye on the things that she does."

"Such is the price of being the older brother," but Akihiko was smiling, thinking briefly of Miki. He enjoyed playing the older brother to her. Sometimes it bothered him that Tadao didn't treat his younger sister very well, but he couldn't say anything.

No one except Mitsuru and Shinji knew what had happened in his past.

"Hey," a chuckle came from Tadao. "Our room's actually pretty big. Don't mind sharing the room, Akihiko?"

"I'll live."

"Heeey...that's rough, Captain."

Akihiko ran his fingers over the smooth walls, the new paint becoming stronger now. He couldn't wait to get his things in and feel at home. It had been a while since he had felt at home in the dorms. At least if there was less tension in this new place, he could focus on SEES.

Well, that all depended on Mitsuru, ultimately...

"Mom's helping me move my bed and dresser in here," Tadao walked to a corner of the room. "How much space are you gonna need? Better figure it out now so we can divide the room up."

The boxer shrugged, "Not much. Still have to find a way to get my stuff out of the dorms and into here."

His fellow friend gave him a sly eye, "You don't think Mitsuru is gonna throw your stuff away before you get a chance to move it, do you?"

The twinkle in his eyes made Akihiko uncomfortable. But even more than that, he hadn't considered that Mitsuru could be so cruel.

"I doubt it," but he wasn't so sure.

"Well," Tadao leaned back. "You'll find out later when my mom and I stop by to help you bring your furniture out. You sure you don't want more room?"

"We're gonna have to find some furniture for the front room anyway," Akihiko pointed out. "We can just put some in there."

"Oh no," the Lucky Cat worker waved his hands. "If I know Suzume, _she'll_ be decorating the rest of the house. She's a _girl,_ you know. That's what girls do worst—take over a man's living space."

"Then why did you agree to let her move in if you're so worried about her prettying up the house?" the boxer crossed his arms over his chest.

"Man," Tadao lightly punched his friend's shoulder. "Keeps the cost of rent down and she was willing to move in. Besides, she was begging me to let her on the lease. She really has the hots for you, Captain." Akihiko didn't comment or care. He looked away and Tadao continued, "Well, I guess that's a bad thing for you. Psh, I can't believe you'd turn down a hot piece like _her,_ Akihiko! Man...something's gotta be wrong with you."

The platinum-haired boxer stood in the middle of the room and stared at the window in front of him. He could see the glimpse of the pool down on the first floor and what must've been the workout room behind that. He knew that he'd be spending a significant amount of time in there.

"Ya, right, so you're not listening anymore..." Tadao's voice was barely recognizable through the boxer's thoughts. "I'm going to wait for Satoru and Akiko outside. Mom will be along after that. Suzume will be here in about forty minutes or so, and I gotta go take her place at work...soooo...yeah. See you after work tonight to get the rest of your stuff?"

"...Yeah, sounds good."

"Bah, you're not even paying attention," and Tadao spun on his back foot to leave.

Akihiko was left alone in the middle of the room, thinking.

Thinking...

That's all he had been doing since they got to the apartment. Truth be told, even to himself, he wasn't happy he was here. He didn't _want_ to be living somewhere else. Didn't want to be without his friends.

Didn't want to be without Mitsuru.

Mitsuru...

Would things be different? Would they still at _least_ be bitter with each other instead of wholly and utterly hate each other if _it_ hadn't happened?

November the fourth.

Her father died. Takeharu Kirijo made his standoff against the beloved Ikutsuki and died. They _both_ died.

Beloved Ikutsuki?

Ha. That bastard got what he deserved. He tricked him. Tricked everyone. Akihiko was most certain that he'd _never_ forgive him.

He'd never forgive him for what was happening now. The Fall, the destruction, and Mitsuru's sorrow. Weren't things already bad enough between them? Why did he have to go and betray everyone?

He remembered the night of November the fourth and what had happened after the incident at Tartarus.

"You're drunk," Akihiko had stood there in the frame of his open door, the moonlight casting a ray through his curtainless window, and the reflection highlighted the face of Mitsuru Kirijo. Her hair was ruffled and tangled, her eyes were probably puffy and red, though it was hard to tell in the dim light. But most of all, she reeked of wine. Cheap wine at that. Akihiko was surprised since Mitsuru never was cheap about anything. She didn't _have_ to be.

The boxer couldn't understand why she was at his door—she initiated the conversation. She had knocked first. They hadn't _really _talked in, well, exactly a month this very evening, Akihiko realized. After Takeharu had died, he wondered what the Kirijo woman was going to do. He wanted to hold her—comfort her, but knew that that was absolutely impossible. He was half relieved that she was at his door, and half scared. He didn't want to get into an argument at this hour. He had a test in statistics the next day.

After a moment, she staggered into his room, barely keeping herself balanced. She was hardly even able to close the door behind her. He wanted to reach out to make sure she didn't fall, but she managed to remain upright. She was swaying, however, and her breathing was heavy. But her eyes were focused on him. They were hard, and dark.

_That __could __be __good __or __very, __very __bad._

Akihiko was tired of the silence, and very uncomfortable.

"Mitsuru...I'm sorry about your father. But we'll get through this as a team. Everyone is standing by your side. Everyone—"

"Shut up, Akihiko," she spat. "You don't give a damn about my father."

He was amazed that she could still hold her composure, even being as drunk as she was. No slurring, precise words...If she hadn't been swaying, he would've been sure that the girl was absolutely sober.

But her words stung. Of _course_ he cared! What did she take him for? A jerk? He wasn't _her_, for God's sake. After all, _he_ hadn't been the one who broke up with her.

"Did you come here to insult me or start an argument?" he crossed his arms. "Forget it. I'm not in the mood. I love you Mitsuru, but you've gotta leave."

He didn't know why he said that he loved her. Well, besides the fact that he really _did,_ but why tell _her_ that? She didn't care. Maybe it was because he didn't want her to start yelling or sobbing. Maybe that would've stopped her. Especially when he moved toward her to guide her out of the room.

She fiercely grabbed his arm and pushed it away. Still clutching it, Mitsuru shoved her face close to his. "Love me? That's not true."

He could feel his anger rising. He didn't want to get into this—didn't _want_ to talk about it.

_She's __drunk, __Akihiko. __Just __remember __that. __She __doesn't __know __what __she's __doing._

"Mitsuru," he sighed, so very, very tired. "I think it's best that you head back to your room, all right? Just...get some sleep."

Her hot breath hit his face and he had to swallow hard. He didn't like her being this close. It was driving him crazy to be this close.

_She's __drunk, __she's __drunk. __She __doesn't __mean __it..._

"What?" she was shortening the distance between them. "You won't let me stay here?"

"I...I..." _I __can't,_ was what he wanted to say—was _dying_ to say. Felt himself becoming weak and vulnerable.

Then she was there, the familiar feeling—the familiar sensation returning. It was there again, as though it had never left, and Mitsuru was pressed against him, her hands on his body, and her lips against his. How he missed it. God, how he had missed _her!_ He was weak, he knew it. So weak. But he couldn't fight it—couldn't fight her—and wondered if he'd regret it later.

He had never made love to Mitsuru; she wanted to wait, which had always been fine with him. But her absence in his life, her animalistic behavior at the moment, he wasn't sure if he could resist. She had never been the dominant one in their relationship, and he blamed it on the alcohol, but it vanished far into his mind as he allowed her to claim his lips in a violent, yet passionate, struggle for control.

Pushing her body closer to his, she forcefully made him shuffle backward to his bed, and Akihiko had to clear his thoughts for the moment to make sure that nothing was behind him to cause them to trip, fall, and ruin the moment. He wasn't sure what was going to happen, but didn't know if he wanted to stop it either. Raking his fingers through her matted hair, he slowly fell backward against the bed, an arm around her to keep her close.

The mattress bounced with their weight on top of it and the two continued from where they left off. Her hands were sliding up his sides, while Akihiko fought to unlace the ribbon on the front of her uniform. He tried his best to be gentle, but Mitsuru was far from caring as her mouth went to his neck and bit down. It was enough to send chills up his spine, and the swirling thoughts and sensation made him drunk with lust.

But Mitsuru wasn't into playing games. Reaching for his vest and shirt, she violently pulled them from his body and tossed them aside before sitting up on top of him and working on her own. Akihiko watched her, something making the feeling inside of him contort with nervousness.

He knew what she was doing.

He knew what she wanted.

_We're __not __together __anymore... _He was breathing heavily, watching the uniform blouse tumbled to the floor as she went for her bra. _What's __gonna __happen __when __this __is __all __over?_

He had never done this before. It had all just been talk. Why now? Why when things were so bad between them?

Akihiko wanted to say no so bad, but he had never been able to say no to Mitsuru. She was the love of his life—the one he had wanted to spend his entire being with. Whatever she wanted, he had always given.

He knew he wasn't about to say no to her now, no matter how bad of an idea this was. His hands rested on each of her thighs, and he made no move to stop her as the bra dropped to the floor and the moonlight shined on her beautiful form.

Akihiko wanted her so badly—wanted this to be _perfect._

_ Perfect, Sanada? You call this **perfect?**_

But she was working on his belt, and then the pants. Allowing her to do as she pleased, Akihiko felt the cold hit his body as the rest of his clothes were ripped away and Mitsuru was back to kissing him fiercely, growls coming from the back of her throat.

The shivers returned, the sweat, the heat...He couldn't stop it—didn't _want_ to anymore. Whatever happened in the morning...

...It had nothing to do with what happened now.

Her hands brushed against his chest as he reached up for her, and pulled her tighter. Bodies entangled within each other, he hadn't even noticed when Mitsuru had lost the skirt until a sudden wave of ecstasy overtook him and he became just as animalistic as she had. The battle for control intensified as he rolled over, pinning her to the bed, and took her without a second's thought.

She cried out, he cried out, and he hoped that no one else within the dorms heard them or their rhythmic movements. The need to adjust passed, and the need to savor the feeling was long gone as Mitsuru continued the motion without stopping. Swirls of hot and cold feelings passed over Akihiko, going with what felt right, despite the nagging feeling in the back of his mind that this was very, very wrong.

But nothing mattered. Not anymore.

He was murmuring her name, and she was breathing heavily until something claimed the both of them that he couldn't quite explain.

Falling on top of her, he could feel her chest move up and down beneath his, her hot breath against his neck. Snuggling his face into her hair, he held her tight, not even realizing that she wasn't returning the embrace.

Akihiko passed out against her body, still stroking her hair.

He wanted to say he was surprised when he woke up the next morning to find her gone, but he wasn't.

The boxer found her downstairs, reading the morning paper, and made a small attempt to come in behind her and lean down for a kiss, but she slapped him across the face and bolted from the room.

He didn't know what he had done wrong. Didn't know why she hated him still.

All he knew was that things got worse after November the fourth, and he regretted every second of it.

"Aki, aren't you going to come out and say hi to Akiko?" Suzume was standing in the doorway of the room and staring down at the boxer with hands on her hips.

He was lying on the floor of his new room, arms behind his head to support it, and one leg crossed on the top of the other. He looked up at her and she smiled.

"Oh, I didn't even hear you come in."

"You didn't hear anyone come in, apparently. Akiko and her mother have been here for a while and they said that they didn't even know you were here. Luckily, Tadao said that you were hanging out in here, probably daydreaming. Looks like he was right."

Pushing himself upward, Akihiko put his feet out in front of him and stood up. He felt dizzy for a moment, reality and memories separating themselves, but it was probably from standing up too fast as well.

"Ah, where's Tadao's family now?"

"In the front room. They're already unloading furniture if you want to help."

He nodded and moved past her. Just as he was walking down the hall, a small form bounded out of the middle room. He recognized the form as a brown-haired child with pigtails and she scuttled into the front room, laughing and dancing. A woman's voice told her to settle down and the boxer assumed that it was Tadao's mother. Upon entering into the room, Akihiko spotted a tall woman with dark hair. She was dressed rather fashionably and had a lamp in her hand. He noticed that there were already several pieces of furniture in the house, including a couch and television.

"Oh," the woman smiled and set the lamp down on the coffee table in front of the television once she spotted Akihiko come in. She held out her hand toward him and he took it. "I'm Manami—Tadao's mother. He said that you were Akihiko?"

"Yes, Akihiko Sanada." The platinum-haired man thought a moment and realized that as much as he and Tadao hung out, he had never met the other boy's mother. _I __even __bought __a __car __from __him __and __work __with __him. __I __wonder __why __I'm __just __now __meeting __her? _"Tadao's co-worker," he added after a moment.

"Tadao speaks highly of you," Manami smiled and stepped back. "I'm glad he has such good friends," she gestured to the boxer and to Suzume, who had just peeked her head into the front room. The older woman put an arm around the small child, who came to cuddle up against her mother's leg "This is Akiko," she announced. "Thank you for allowing her to stay with you. I think it will help bring some responsibility into Tadao's life. He's always been the restless sort."

"I can agree with that." Suzume took a step forward and stooped over to see Tadao's little sister, a soft smile washing over her face, "Hi there. I'm Suzume."

But the child took one look and buried her head into her mother's leg.

Manami laughed and held the child by her shoulders. "Akiko's a little shy, but she'll warm up to you as she gets to know everyone." Then, turning back to Akihiko, "Tadao told me that you need some help getting your furniture from your old place?"

Old place...

It stung Akihiko to have it be called an _'old __place.'_

"Yes," he nodded. "I tried to get most of it into the back of my car, but it's too small to get the most important things like my bed and dresser."

"Well, I'm borrowing my brother's truck, so that should be more than enough space to fit whatever you need into it for one quick load."

A smile crossed Akihiko's lips as an image of this woman driving Satoru's big truck filled his mind. He had seen the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter in front of the management office when first coming onto the property.

"That's very kind of you," he nodded. "But I thought Tadao said we would be moving everything tonight?"

"That Tadao is lazy and wants to push everything off until later. I think we should just get it done now."

Akihiko thought a moment and agreed.

"I have the rest of the day off anyway," Suzume jumped in. "I can watch Akiko while you go and load up Aki's things."

"What a sweet girl," Manami brushed a strand of loose hair from her face and then clapped her hands together. Looking back to Akihiko, she asked, "Shall we go then?" He nodded and she walked toward the front door, "I'll let Satoru know that we'll be going now."

After she had gone, Akihiko's attention was brought back to the clearing of the throat made by Suzume, who was eying him. He felt a shudder rush up his spine and realized that he was uncomfortable.

"What's up?" he quirked an eyebrow.

"So, does it bother you to live with a woman?" she gave him a Cheshire grin. The way that she drug her words out increased the nervousness in his stomach.

"You forget that I lived with girls back in the dorms, Suzume," he quickly said and headed out the door after Tadao's mother.

\/\/\/

"Thank you again," Akihiko clasped his hands together and stared down at them from his position in the passenger's seat.

Manami signaled left and turned the car down 30th street. "It's not a problem at all, Akihiko. Thank you for finally getting my little boy to become more responsible. He's been living in the basement of our house for the past couple of years. I don't know why he likes it down there."

The boxer chuckled, "Probably because he's always practicing on the bag with his headphones on. And he sings, too."

That caused Tadao's mother to burst out laughing. "He does, doesn't he? He's quite the amusing one. I'll sure miss him living in the house."

Akihiko fell silent, thoughts wandering elsewhere. He looked outside and recognized the street they were passing now. They were officially three blocks and one left turn away from being at the dorms. It made him feel uneasy, and sad most of all. He always took the back way behind the coffee shop home.

Not anymore.

"Can I ask why you and Tadao's uncle find it imperative that Akiko stay in the apartment? Uh...if you don't mind my being nosy..."

"No, not at all," but Manami's humor had dissipated. "Please...don't stress any of this to Tadao. I mean, he knows, but I don't think he knows how bad it is..." Akihiko tensed. He could feel that something horrible was about to be laid on his shoulders. "Akiko is ill. _Very_ ill. She's been this way for a few months now. At first, she would only get stomachaches here and there. Then they started getting more frequent. She'll be fine for one moment, and then she's down the next. These days, she's feeling more down than up. What you saw earlier was one of the few times in the past week that she's been feeling good."

Something dreadful passed over Akihiko, "If she's so prone to the illness, why leave her in the care of Suzume? Does she know that Akiko is this sick?" The boxer wanted to get very angry with the mother for putting the child in the hands of a teenager who knew only about taking care of her little brother.

But Manami didn't seem very concerned.

"Satoru is stopping by to pick her up, actually. I'm sure he'll explain everything to your friend when he gets there. After all, having Akiko live with you is going to require you to know about her illness."

Akihiko didn't get it. He just...didn't. "If she's so sick, then why live with us? Why not keep her at home or in the hospital?" The platinum-haired youth instantly felt bad for protesting or sounding rude, especially since Manami was helping him pack everything up. But he _had_ to know. This wasn't something that could be taken so lightly.

His guilt worsened when he caught the crestfallen face of the older woman. She was silent—maybe thinking to herself—but answered, "Because...we _know_ Akiko doesn't have much time left. Tadao doesn't realize this or...maybe he doesn't believe it. I want the two of them to spend as much time together before the end or else I'd never forgive myself. Forcing Tadao to take care of Akiko is the only way they can stay close before she...before...she..."

"I'm sorry," Akihiko cut in. "I had no idea. Please forgive me." Quickly looking away, he bit down hard on his lip, damning himself for being so insensitive.

_I __lost __Miki...but __it __wasn't __even __something __that __I __was __aware __of. __I __can't __imagine __knowing __that __your __child __is __going __to __die, __but __that __there's __not __a __damn __thing __you __can __do __about __it._

"These are your dorms, right?" the truck slowed to a stop along the curb and Akihiko looked up, immediately feeling worse.

"Ya," he mumbled. "They were."

"Oh, that's right," Manami gave a small chuckle. "We're here to move your things."

Wordlessly, Akihiko opened the door and climbed out, feeling worse at that moment than he had all day. He could hear the other side shut and small steps came around from the front of the truck. He made sure to keep ahead, fishing for the keys that he would have to be returning after today.

He was sure that the rest of his friends were at home, including Mitsuru, and that they were all studying, baking, or decorating.

Akihiko plugged his key into the hole and jiggled the knob until it finally opened. Walking in, he was unhappy to see everyone sitting out front. Mitsuru was in the chair across the room and he dodged her eyes when she stared up at him.

"This is Tadao's mother, Manami," the boxer introduced to the rest of his friends. Manami waved. "She's going to help me take the rest of my things from out of my room if that's all right."

No one made any movements. Their eyes avoided him and Tadao's mother. Minato was the only one who raised his hand and volunteered to help.

"You don't have to," Akihiko whispered to him on the way up the stairs. Manami went outside to back the truck into the driveway.

"What? You're going to carry the bed down by yourself? Or make your co-worker's mother do it?"

That was a...good point.

Akihiko pushed a line of air out through his lips.

"Don't move out," Minato said after a moment. "We miss you."

That prompted a laugh from Akihiko, "I've been gone for less than twenty-four hours, Minato. What are you talking about?"

But the younger boy's face was hard and his eyes were narrowed.

"None of us wanted you to leave, Senpai. None of us."

The platinum-haired boy swallowed his laughter and focused on opening the door in front of him—his old room.

It bothered him knowing that this would be the last time he would ever see it.

But after he opened it, he began commanding Minato to take one side of the bed while he grabbed the other and tilted it so that the mattress would fit through the door. The blue haired youth complied and said nothing more on the matter about Akihiko's departure. They worked to get the bed down the stairs and outside to the truck. Manami, who was already outside, directed them while they played a bad version of Tetris with Akihiko's belongings. The mattress went on the far left side, the dismantled frame below it, and the dresser next (thanks to Junpei, who lent a helping hand after seeing how much trouble the duo were having with the task).

"What's next?" Junpei asked, using a hand to turn his cap backwards. He didn't sound very enthusiastic about helping.

"My bag," Akihiko said. "The punching one, that is."

He half expected the class clown to make a comedic remark, but was sorely disappointed when all Junpei said was, "Okay."

Yukari eventually helped with some of the smaller things at Akihiko's discretion, and Fuuka helped carry them downstairs. Soon, the entire dorm save Mitsuru, who remained in the front room, reading, was helping Akihiko pack. None appeared happy about it, and most were quiet during the duration of the move. As Akihiko was walking through the front room out the door, he caught a glimpse of Mitsuru watching him from out of the corner of his eye.

He did the best he could to ignore it.

"That's about it," he said after about an hour and a half later.

Fuuka was red in the face with fatigue, Yukari was out of breath, and Junpei was sitting on the tail end of the truck.

"You sure?" Minato, who seemed unfazed by the manual labor turned to him. "You don't need anything else?"

Akihiko bit his lip.

He knew Minato was hinting at something.

"Senpai!" Junpei called out, even though he was only ten or so feet away from the boxer. "Say you're still gonna be in the club!"

_Club?_

He caught on after a moment.

_SEES. __He's __talking __about __SEES. __He __just __can't __be __too __specific __since __Manami's __standing __right __here._

Junpei was staring at him, hard eyes and trembling lips. Akihiko didn't want to look at him being so sad, so diverted his attention. But every other face he found mirrored Junpei's expression. Akihiko frowned.

"Senpai?" Fuuka was waiting for a response.

So was everyone else.

The boxer _hated_ being put on the spot, especially in front of a stranger.

"Y-Yeah," he finally blurted out, though he was sure it was mostly to satisfy his teammates and move onto the next priority at hand. "Um, I have one more thing to grab from upstairs," his gaze was on Manami. "That all right?"

"Of course, Akihiko. Take your time. I'll push up the tailgate and wait in the car for you."

"Thanks..." he turned and walked back inside.

Mitsuru was still in the chair, reading.

He tried to pay no attention to her, but he found his steps to be hard and unforgiving while climbing the stairs. He wanted to be out of the dorms, but was upset that she didn't care more about him leaving. Akihiko hadn't been bluffing when he said that he wanted to move out, but it hurt more that she was indifferent to it.

_Whatever. __It __doesn't __matter._

But it did.

It really, _really_ did.

Finding himself back in his room, the boxer collected the last of his odds and ends, feeling forlorn as he gazed upon his barren quarters. If he thought walking in before was a tragedy, seeing absolutely nothing in it felt worse. Still, he quickened his pace to keep from thinking too much, kicking away small trash, such as scraps of paper and bent paperclips. He scanned the area once more to make sure nothing important was left behind, but his thoughts were distracted when a knock came to the door.

_It's __probably __Minato __trying __to __make __me __reconsider._

He admired the boy's persistence—and it was warranted. After all, he _was_ the leader, but Akihiko secretly wished that the younger boy would leave him alone. The decision the boxer was making was _not_ an easy one.

Still, he granted invitation, and heard the door swing open. Absentmindedly, Akihiko spun around, a question already on his lips for Minato.

But it wasn't Minato.

Words dying away, the boxer's eyes widened when he met the sour eyes of Mitsuru, her arms crossed over her chest.

He wasn't sure if he was happy she was finally willing to say something. Maybe it was good. Maybe it was bad. But he didn't want to admit the fact that he was scared was because he didn't know which. Maybe he wasn't _really_ happy to see her at all.

"What?" was all he could choke out, although it wasn't what he wanted to say, and he really hadn't meant for it to come out as rude as it had.

She didn't seem to notice as she swept a lock of hair from her face and said, "So you're really leaving then?"

The question itself was enough to make Akihiko believe that she really _cared_ about him moving out, but her tone made him skeptical.

"Yes, I am."

"Yet you still want to be a part of SEES?"

He shrugged and let his hands fall against his sides, creating a light thudding noise. "That was the plan, I thought. After all, we're still fighting the Shadows, aren't we?"

"_We_ are," her brows furrowed. "But if you move out, you relinquish your position to be on the team."

His eyes widened and his mouth was left agape. He couldn't _believe_ her ultimatum. Either this was a really bad attempt at begging him not to move out, or Mitsuru had just pulled the biggest, and he damned his thoughts for this one, bitch move ever.

"_What?_" he managed, his eyes narrow. "What are you _talking_ about, Mitsuru?"

Again, her hand haughtily move a strand of hair from her face. "If you move out and still are a part of SEES, you are jeopardizing the people that you're living with. They could find out about us, or become victims of the Shadows. For that, it would be best if you weren't a part of SEES any longer."

He couldn't believe...no...couldn't...believe...

"What the _hell,_ Mitsuru!" he exploded, hands rising in the air. "Why are you so _intent_ on dragging me through the mud!"

His rough words must've startled her, he realized, because her back was against the wall. Akihiko caught a quick flash of fright wash over her face, but she was quick to resilience.

"You're telling me that you don't care about the lives you endanger for your own selfish desires?"

"God, Mitsuru, you always twist everything and make me the bad guy!" He hadn't meant to, but he pushed her to the side and stormed out the door. He couldn't take it—didn't want to—how could she _do_ this to him!

All he had ever been guilty of was loving her...Ever been selfish about...Gave her every _damn_ thing her heart desired...

_Except __a __Goddamn __future __with __a __name __attached. __How __materialistic._

He brusquely made his way down the stairs before she could catch up. He was afraid what he would do if she said anything else to him.

"Akihiko, turn around right—"

_No...I __can't __take __it..._

He didn't know what had compelled him to stop—didn't know what he was going to do next—and didn't know if it was going to be disastrous. But she saw the look in his eyes and her words died on her lips.

"You broke my heart," he found himself speaking his thoughts aloud, "shattered my spirits, and tore my self-worth _apart,_ Mitsuru!" Akihiko was stalking her up the stairs, but his hardened eyes never left hers. "For _weeks_ I'd lie awake and wonder what went wrong, _how_ I could make it better, and _why_ I wasn't good enough. You stopped talking to me, treated me like I was the originator of the Shadows, and, as if that weren't enough, _destroyed_ me when you walked out on me that night!"

"No," she was stumbling backwards, and Akihiko realized that he had smashed her defenses. "Don't bring up that night."

"What?" he stopped for the moment, feeling his heart crush itself within his chest. She wanted to forget? That night? It wasn't worth remembering? He couldn't help it. He felt like the most horrible person in the world when standing before her. "You want to forget?" it came out as a whisper, but the more the idea circulated itself around in his head, the louder his voice became. "November the fourth, Mitsuru. I'll _never_ forget! You know, the night you and I made _love!_"

It didn't mean that much? Was that it?

He wanted to grab her and shake her—wanted to scream at her and cry and—

...Akihiko didn't know _what_ he wanted to do.

She appeared frightened. He hated himself for that, but another part of him didn't care. He wanted to sob, but didn't think that that would solve anything.

She didn't love him anymore.

She hated him.

Moving out didn't bother her at all.

He turned his heel on her and quickly moved back down the stairs before she could say anything or before he could cry. Maybe before both happened.

Akihiko made it down to the bottom of the stairs and ran to the front door. His eyes were already misty and blurred so it was no surprise he didn't see Manami in the doorway before they both collided. She was screaming, but he was already on the floor. The rest of his teammates rushed back inside.

"Akihiko!" came Manami's panicked voice. "Akiko! They're taking her to the hospital!"

He lay there on the floor, not being able to comprehend anything.

Not a damn thing.

\/\/\/

Tried to keep this chapter not so boring, but dunno if I succeeded. And then Akihiko went Super Saiyan on Mitsuru's ass. The future chapters will pick up with a little more action and stuff. Sorry that the rest of the cast don't play as big of a part (save Minato, who actually plays a big part in the story), but I'll try to work them in the best I can. Please review kindly. Flames will be used to keep me warm at night as I sleep under my bridge as the homeless person I am XD

ML


	4. A Startling Confession

**Disclaimer:**Don't own P3, as cool as it **would** be to own.

**A/N:**So, yes, this story has four chapters left including this one. It's my goal to have it finished by the end of the year, which would, conveniently, put the story just in time for Christmas—when this story is _supposed_ to take place. We'll see how well that goes. To help further me along, I've created chapter outlines to keep me motivated and on track. We'll see how that goes.

YamiTenshi14 – I'm really happy you're enjoying the story. I'm trying to make my updates more consistent so that this story won't be forgotten about due to the lack of updates haha. I hope I continue to serve well. :-D

Lunatsu13 – I'm glad you're enjoying the story, and I hope I can continue to please. :-)

Without further ado, the next chapter.

**\/\/\/**

**Divided By the Vow**

**Chapter Four**

**A Startling Confession**

**\/\/\/**

Everyone was in a panic. Tears were streaming down Manami's face, and her whole body was shaking, but, nevertheless, she jumped in her truck to speed off toward the hospital. Minato and Yukari jumped into the front seat while Junpei and Fuuka hopped in the back. Koromaru came out to see what all of the commotion was about and Junpei told him to wait inside.

"Someone's going to have to call Ken," Fuuka suddenly was reminded that the young boy was at a friend's house that day. "Junpei?"

"I'm on it," he was digging into his coat pocket for a cell phone, his eyes concentrated on the truck bed in front of him.

Akihiko made a mad dash for the truck before it had a chance to drive off, but something snagged his arm before he had that chance. Whirling around, he caught sight of Mitsuru, her hand gripping his tightly.

"She needs to get to the hospital," the redhead said, and the sound of a departing vehicle made the boxer turn to see that Manami had left without them. He sighed. "We'll take my motorcycle," she announced.

"_We?_" Akihiko's eyes focused back on hers and his brows furrowed. "What do you mean _'we?'_"

"Just as I said," Mitsuru brushed a strand of hair from her face, not missing a beat. "This is no time to sit and argue, Akihiko. We need to get to the hospital right away."

He stood there, dumbfounded and jaw agape, as the girl released his arm and dashed around the side of the dormitory building.

"What the hell is she doing?" he mumbled to himself.

No...

What the _hell_ was she _thinking!_

Not even five minutes ago were they both upstairs arguing with each other, and now she wanted them to _ride_ on her motorcycle to the hospital..._together?_

Surely she knew that that meant they would be in close proximity of each other.

Surely she _knew_ that that meant they would have to be _touching_ in order to ride her small, really-only-seats-one motorcycle.

A thunderous roar broke the silence after a moment, and grew louder as Mitsuru rode out to the front yard, helmet on head and another in the crook of her arm. Slipping it out from under he arm, she tossed it at him.

"Here!" she called out over the blaring noise of the motorcycle.

He caught it effortlessly, although his thoughts still remained in a state of confusion over her actions. Akihiko didn't want to ask what Mitsuru was thinking.

He was too scared to.

Without wasting another moment, he pulled the helmet over his head and climbed onto the back of the motorcycle, ignoring the fact that his hands were now placed firmly on her hips.

"You're going to have to hold on tighter than that," she called back to him as she released the kickstand and pressed down upon the gas.

The sudden jerk took him by surprise, and he felt his arms instantly go around her small frame in a desperate attempt to keep from falling off. Something stuck in the cornerstone of his chest, and a lump formed in his throat.

He hadn't been this close to Mitsuru in a long, long time.

Akihiko couldn't swallow his nervousness—felt his palms become painfully sweaty—and closed his eyes so that he wouldn't have to stare at her beautiful, long hair.

_Why __is __she __doing __this? __Why? __She __didn't __have __to __go __to __the __hospital __and __she __**certainly **__didn't __have __to __bring __me. __What's __going __through __her __mind, __anyway?_

They turned a corner, and Mitsuru leaned her bike to the left_. _Akihiko found himself clutching her tighter, but didn't know if it was because he was so scared at how close they had just come to the ground, or because...

Because...

"There's their truck," Mitsuru looked over her shoulder and tossed back. "She's going very fast. I'm almost surprised that the law officials haven't pulled her over yet."

"I'm glad that they haven't. Akiko means the world to her."

"At any rate, we'll be at the hospital soon. We'll park around back and let them go on ahead of us. After all, I don't think they'll allow 'just friends' into the room."

"But your family owns the hospital. Surely they can make an exception? I'm sure Suzume is already there."

"Suzume...? Your co-worker?"

"That's right."

She didn't talk to him again for the rest of the motorcycle ride. Akihiko wasn't quite sure why.

Within a few minutes they had pulled into the hospital parking lot—Manami was gone—and Minato and the others were waiting for the two to park the bike.

"She's already inside," their blue-haired leader informed. "Your co-worker, uh...Tadao?"

"Yeah," Akihiko nodded.

"Well, Tadao called and he's here too. Sounds like this is the worst off his sister's ever been."

The boxer sighed. Usually, Tadao was an easy going guy who could make a whole room laugh with his quick, although sometimes dirty, humor. Akihiko had never seen him be anything other than happy, or even jokingly frustrated.

"Let's get inside then," Junpei jerked a thumb toward the door. "At least to make sure the kid's all right."

The group silently made their way into the building, Akhiko feeling ill and disturbed. Not just over the fact that his co-worker's sister was dying and today could be her last day, but over what had just happened between him and Mitsuru.

He couldn't explain it—didn't know if he wanted to—but desperately wanted to know what was going through her mind.

Maybe she was thinking about what he had said earlier, maybe she wasn't, but either way, they were talking.

...Even if it was only just a little bit.

"_Aaaaaakkkkiiiii-!_"

The boxer only had a split second to glance up before a raven-haired woman threw herself into his arms, weeping and wailing. Her arms wrapped around his body tightly, and he had almost no time to react to her.

"Oh, Aki!" the woman sobbed. "It was terrible! We were only playing, Akiko and I, and her uncle came in. She got up to give him a hug, and then...and then...!"

"S-Suzume...?" he breathed, realizing who it was in his arms. He hadn't even heard what she had said about Akiko and Satoru.

She buried her face deeper into his shirt, breathing heavily against it as she sobbed. Thinking it was the right thing to do, he wrapped his arms around the other girl and looked back to his friends.

There was a deep frown on Mitsuru's face and she looked away.

Akihiko watched the redhead for another moment longer, but a giant sniffle from Suzume redirected his thoughts and he asked her, "Where's Tadao?"

She pulled back for a moment to wipe at her eyes, which Akihiko realized were particularly dry. Her face was red, but not from any tear stains, it seemed.

"In there with his mother and uncle. Aki, it was so terrible...That poor girl..." After rubbing her arm against her eyes, she dove back into the boxer's arms, her face snuggling into his chest.

He pretended not to let the action bother him; there were more things to be concerned with at the moment.

"I'm going inside to see what the doctor has to say," Akihiko gently pushed her back and walked past everyone.

Despite the protestations from the receptionist, he walked through the door in the back and made his way down the hall. There was a slight twinge of idiocy that ran through him as Akihiko realized that he had no idea which room Akiko was being held in. His alarm quickly passed when he caught sight of Tadao sitting in a chair outside of a room. His head was lowered and his baseball cap had been pulled down over his eyes. He was hunched over and his hands were fumbling with the fabric of his jeans.

"Tadao," Akihiko called out, walking a little faster toward him.

His friend didn't answer, nor did he take the time to look up.

Maybe he hadn't heard him?

"Tadao," he called again, this time a little louder. His pace quickened and soon he was standing in front of his friend. Still, Tadao didn't look up. "Tadao, I know you hear me. What's going on? Is Akiko all right?"

The other boy finally gave a grunt. "Go look for yourself."

Akihiko stood above him for a moment longer, but it was obvious that the other boy wasn't going to say anything else to him. It bothered the boxer to be ignored, but he tried to keep in mind that this boy's sister was dying. And even if Tadao hadn't believed it before, there was no use denying it now.

Turning toward the door, Akihiko reached out for the doorknob and turned it. He heard a soft click and the door fell open. It gave a low groan, and the boxer stepped through. He could immediately see Manami and Satoru's sorrowful faces—Manami was crying.

Trying to keep his back straight, Satoru asked, "So...doctor...where do we go from here?"

No one had noticed Akihiko's presence, and if they had they weren't letting on.

The doctor had both hands on each side of his stethoscope and set the instrument down on the small counter next to him. The boxer stepped a little more into the room and saw a conscious Akiko in the bed in the corner of the room, but she looked pale and she was staring out the window.

_At __least __she's __awake..._

"We can't figure out what's wrong," the doctor told them, though it appeared painful for him to say so. "We've ran every test that we can think of and we _still_ can't figure it out."

"But you're one of the top hospitals in Japan!" Manami blurted out, a little rudely though Akihiko was sure she didn't mean for it to come out that way. "And you can't save my daughter!"

The doctor didn't seem to take offense to her comment, but whispered, "She doesn't have long, I'm afraid. I think it's probably about that time to start making...arrangements..."

"Don't talk about arranging my daughter's funeral while she's still living!" Manami stepped forward, tears still running down her cheeks, but her eyes were narrowed little slits. "If you can't help her, I'll just find another doctor who can!"

"Please forgive me, ma'am, but who do you think will be able to provide any better care for her than we can? We are backed by the Kirijo family. No one has more medical knowledge than those at this hospital."

"Your medical degrees are worthless in the face of my daughter!" Satoru turned to his sister, a hand on her shoulder. He began to massage it, although he seemed to share her sentiments. "Akiko is going to die. Period."

The doctor hung his head and his eyes looked to the ground. "I'm so sorry. I wish there was more I could do..."

"She's coming home with us, Satoru," Manami looked into her brother's eyes. "She's coming home and she will be made comfortable. She will _not_ be left in this hospital bed."

Akihiko turned his attention from the grieving family to little Akiko. She still wasn't paying attention to the others in the room, but he could see silent tears running down her cheeks.

_I __can't __imagine __it...It __must __be __horrible __to __be __sitting __here __with __nobody __even __addressing __her...and __they're __talking __about __her __funeral..._

No one said anything as Akihiko moved around the adults and seated himself on Akiko's bed. His weight made her move a little, and she slowly turned her head to see him. He was smiling, even though he was having a hard time doing it. He placed a hand on hers and his smile parted to show white teeth.

"Hey kiddo, you feeling any better?"

She nodded, but her eyes fell to the sheets on the bed. Akihiko knew that the others had their eyes on him now, but he continued to focus on the child.

_No __one's __even __given __her __any __attention. __Don't __they __have __any __idea __what __**she's **__going __through? __They're __all __wrapped __up __in __the __problem, __but __Akiko's __the __one __who __is __suffering __the __most. __Sometimes...adults __just __forget __what __the __most __important __thing __is._

"Listen," he whispered, "you'll be going home soon, and you'll be able to see all your friends again. And you know what? Everything is going to be all right. We can even go and get some ice cream if you want."

A small smile cracked at Akiko's face and Akihiko knew that he was breaking past her barrier. He talked with her for a few more moments, devoting all of his attention solely to her. Her smile eventually became bigger, her eyes glistening, and it seemed as though the color had returned to her cheeks. He squeezed her hand and talked with her some more. Finally, the doctor announced that he was going to get her release forms in order.

When Akihiko walked outside, Manami was waiting for him, but Tadao and Satoru were nowhere in sight.

"You shouldn't make these kinds of promises to her," she chastised, but her voice was low and even.

"She's just a child," Akihiko retorted though he tried to keep his voice matching hers. "She has no idea what death is, and she's scared. If it's true that there's nothing more we can do for her, we need to make these last weeks good for her. Don't take her out of school, don't let her be lonely. Please, Manami..."

He remembered that she had told him they were bracing themselves for this. Either she hadn't done a good job or she had been lying. Either way, nothing stopped her from breaking down.

The other woman turned her head toward the ceiling, but tears were beginning to spill down her cheeks like low running waterfalls. She sniffled and her face finally contorted. Akihiko wasn't sure if he should hold her or not.

"I...I have Tadao to think about...I can't force her off onto him or Satoru...But I'll lose my job if I take time away, even in a situation like this..."

"Even though your daughter's dying?" Akihiko blinked. Was her work force really so cruel?

"Under qualified people like me have a hard time making it in this world. Her father was the breadwinner. And we have no insurance—I don't know how to pay back these medical expenses. I don't know what to do..."

A thought suddenly jumped to Akihiko's mind, but he felt it inappropriate to suggest. However, despite that, he blurted out, "I can take care of Akiko for you."

Her sobs stopped for the moment, and she closed her eyes. "I appreciate your offer, Akihiko, but this is a family matter and—"

"It will be worse for you to lose the rest of your family over this. And think of Tadao. His little sister is dying. I can give you a break, even if it's just a small one, and it will put Akiko at ease just a bit more. Please, Manami. Please just let me help. I _know_ how it feels to lose a little sister, so please let me help you."

Though tears were still running down the older woman's face, she was able to look him in the eye and offer up a sad smile. "I'm sorry. I had no idea."

"Not many know," he admitted in a whisper. "But that's why this is so important to me. While you take care of what you need to, let me watch after Akiko. It will make the bearing on this just a little more possible."

"It's not going to get in the way of your schooling or your work? What about your boxing club?"

"I'm the captain. There are some things I can get away with. But it'll be fine, Manami. I promise."

She stood there for a moment, her body shaking, and Akihiko wasn't sure what was going to happen next. But then she grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug, tears still clinging to her face. Akihiko hesitantly returned the hug, thinking about how he seemed to be the crutch in this situation, what with Suzume and Manami.

But there was one small difference.

Suzume hadn't _really_ been crying.

\/\/\/

By the time he had walked back out into the hospital waiting room, Mitsuru was already gone. Akihiko damned her; he wanted to talk to her about clearing Akiko's medical bill. Since the Kirijos ran the hospital, Akihiko _knew_ Mitsuru could work something out. But she was gone. Junpei said she left without saying much and had taken her motorcycle back to the dorms. Akihiko shook his head, upset that she had just left, and a little put off that she had left him without a ride back. Manami was more than willing to let Akihiko ride with them back to the dorms, however, and Minato traded places with Fuuka in order to ride in the bed of the truck with the boys.

"So, the kid's gonna die, huh?" Junpei shook his head. Akihiko figured that he was probably thinking about Chidori. "That sucks, dude. I mean, that just really freaking sucks. How's your buddy taking it?"

"I...I don't know," Akihiko had forgotten about Tadao since he hadn't seen him much. He had left with Satoru, Akiko, and Suzume after he and Manami had come back to the waiting room. "He wouldn't say much to me."

"He's in emotional grief right now," Minato explained. Then he turned to Akihiko, "So, Mitsuru let you ride with her on her motorcycle?"

"Then she left me stranded," the boxer released an exasperated sigh. "Why did she bother to come if she wasn't sticking around? And _why_ make me get a ride with her if she was just going to leave me without a way back?"

"Well, to be fair, she _really_ didn't seem to like that Suzume chick," Junpei shrugged. "She was sitting in the waiting room, just pretending to cry and whatnot, and she was upset because you had left and wasn't there to comfort her. I can't even begin to _tell_ you how many times she asked when you were coming back. Then she tried to argue with the nurse to let her in to see Akiko. Mitsuru left right about that time."

Akihiko shook his head. So what? That meant she was jealous of Suzume? Was _that_ it? But for what reason? They weren't together anymore. They had no ties to each other. Why care?

But, yet, like Minato had said, why did she let him ride on her motorcycle? It just didn't make any sense. Maybe she had been planning on staying but Suzume drove her away.

_No, __no, __that's __absurd. __Suzume __**can **__be __annoying, __sure, __but __for __Mitsuru __to __leave __because __she __was __being __hysterical? __The __Mitsuru __thing __to __do __would __be __to __tell __her __to __hush __up._

"We heard you guys fighting," Minato suddenly said, bringing the boxer back to reality. "She won't let you be in SEES?"

Sighing again, Akihiko shook his head.

"Man, she can't do that!" Junpei shouted, and Minato had to hush him. "You were one of the first members, Senpai! I'm gonna give her a piece of my mind."

That prompted a chuckle from the older man. "Thanks, Junpei, but I think that this is something I should handle with Mitsuru."

"The Fall is coming, though! We need everyone we can get to help fight! Doesn't she understand that?"

He punched the truck and Minato yelled at him. Smiling, Akihiko shook his head, knowing that he had very loyal friends. But it _was_ true.

The Fall was coming.

They would need everyone to help fight.

Akihiko couldn't _afford_ to not be there at the final hour. He just _couldn't._

The others were dropped off at the dorms, and Akihiko spotted Mitsuru's bike from around the corner. So she _had_ gone home after all. Ken and Koromaru were out front, playing, and Ken turned to give the platinum-haired boy a sad wave. Akihiko returned it before he jumped into the front seat with Manami.

She was wearing sunglasses—probably to cover her red, swollen, tear-stained covered face. They made small talk and she told him she would provide him with Akiko's daily schedule so that he and the others could work around her.

"I don't know if Tadao will be willing to help," she warned. "He's taking this harder than any of us know."

But Akihiko had no problem taking care of Akiko. It was like taking care of his little sister again.

He tried to blot out the fact that Akiko could be leaving the world at any day—at any hour—at any second.

She was a sweet little girl, and she enjoyed car rides with an ice cream cone in her hand. She didn't require any more attention than other children her age, and she was well behaved. He would drop her off at school, and have to leave his last class early in order to be at her elementary school to pick her up. She was pretty smart for an eight year old, and would always talk about her days in the classroom and what they were learning. One day it would be language class, and she would talk about how she could tell the difference between nouns and pronouns or verbs and adverbs. Other days it would be math and they were learning addition and subtraction.

Akihiko told his boxing gang that he would have to step out of the ring for a while, but every so often, he would take Akiko to one of his practices, where she would watch with great interest.

"You're amazing, Akihiko-kun!"

She had started calling "Akihiko-kun" after about six days or so. He shook his head and laughed. It was different being called by something other than 'Aki,' which was what his sister and Shinji had used ever since he had known them. He only allowed certain people to call him 'Aki,' and Suzume wasn't one of them. She had never known Shinjiro _or_ Miki and that they had called him 'Aki,' which made for a better argument when he told her not to call him by it anymore.

"People are going to start calling me 'Sparkles,'" he complained one day at work when Suzume called him that, blew a kiss at him, and began to walk out the door.

"It also means 'bright autumn,'" she called after.

He knew that and didn't care. He just didn't want Suzume calling him 'Aki."

And speaking of work, Tadao was in a bad mood the whole first week and a half after Akiko's release from the hospital. He picked up double shifts, worked for free—did whatever he could do so that he wouldn't have to be at home to see Akiko. Akihiko didn't know why Tadao was avoiding his dying sister. Maybe it was because he was in denial. Maybe it was because he was trying to brace himself for this and this was the only way he knew how.

Akihiko didn't know.

But it was painful to watch Tadao in this way.

He remember having to call Tadao at work one time to explain that he was going to be late that day and it hadn't at all been pleasant.

_"__Yeah, __whatever __Captain. __I__—__hold __on __a __second. __No! __You __can__**not **__have __a __discount __on __something __that's __already __marked __fifty-percent __off! __What __the __hell __do __you __want __me __to __do? __**Pay **__you __to __take __it?__"_

He was obviously screaming at a customer.

Akihiko silently clicked the 'end call' button on his phone and felt less bad about having to come in late.

And then there was Mitsuru.

She at _least_ was trying to make small talk with him, totally ignoring what had happened at the hospital and abandoning him there. She'd give a small smile, ask how things were going, then be on her way. It was more than he had seen from her in months.

It made Akihiko's heart skip a beat every time she'd smile. He really missed home, and maybe he could move back someday.

But he couldn't find the nerve to talk with her about SEES. Not right now, anyway, now that she was talking to him even just a _little._

His friends were more charismatic with him than Mitsuru was, however, and Fuuka and Yukari enjoyed playing with Akiko on the days that he would have her in the car. One time, they had bumped into each other at the ice cream parlor, and chatted away like they were the best friends in the world.

"You always seem shy around other people, like Suzume," Akihiko told the child. "What's up with that?"

The child made a face and grumbled, "I don't like Suzume."

_That __explains __a __lot,_ though Akihiko couldn't deny that he wasn't surprised.

After the ice cream parlor, the girls took Akiko downstairs to ride the carousel.

She was happier, and that's all that Akihiko cared about. She wasn't a child who was getting ready to die, or had to think about _why_ people were being so nice to her. It was genuine affection and love—which was more than what Akihiko could say about the child's mother. Manami, though she meant well, could not help but fake her kindness and concern. She was still devastated by the news of her daughter's upcoming death, and anyone who was watching could see the waterfall of tears wanting to explode down the woman's face at any given moment.

It was a tiring two weeks indeed, and Akihiko wanted to spend the remainder of his December twenty-first on the couch watching TV while Akiko colored in her coloring book by his feet.

But then the doorbell rang, and Akiko offered to get the door. Suzume got it instead, and Akiko made a face. She gathered her coloring supplies and trotted down the hall back to her room.

"Oh, Aki," Suzume turned, a warm smile on her face, "it's for you. One of your little friends."

Akihiko frowned. He hated when she would say things like, _"__little __friends.__"_

Nevertheless, he satup while turning the TV down and looked to the front door. From behind Suzume was Minato, and he was waving at the older man.

"Hey," feeling better that someone he had wanted to see was at his front door, Akihiko stood up from the couch and motioned Minato down the hall to his bedroom.

"What?" Suzume called after them. "You can't talk in here?"

"Man talk," Akihiko tossed over his shoulder. "The TV's free if you want to watch it though."

"No, I have to get ready for work anyway. See you later, Aki, and...Aki's friend."

The boxer rolled his eyes and shut the door behind him and Minato.

"You don't seem to like her," the blue-haired boy pointed out as Akihiko walked over and plopped down onto his bed.

"She's my co-worker, so I can't speak ill of her," he mumbled. "But, for the record, no."

The younger man laughed and went to sit down beside the boxer on the bed. His smile sobered and he gave Akihiko a look that made the older man know that Minato was here for a serious discussion.

"What? What's up?"

"It's been almost two weeks without you in SEES, Senpai. We all miss you being there."

The boxer gave a shrug, "Mitsuru doesn't want me there. I can't go against the leader's rules."

"She's _not_ the leader, and I _know_ why you haven't been around, Senpai. I _know_ about you and Mitsuru-senpai."

Something weighed itself down in Akihiko's stomach, and he gave the other a sharp look. What? What are you talking about? Me and Mitsuru?

All these things were running through the boxer's mind, but they vanished once Minato pulled a white, folded piece of paper from out of his coat. He handed it to Akihiko, who took it with a shaky hand.

Staring at it, he breathed, "Where did you get this?"

"Mitsuru asked that I clean the rest of your room up to make way for the next tenant. I found this stashed in your closet."

The paper...the letter...

Oh God...

He had forgotten about this letter...

It was two days after Shinji had died and one since Mitsuru had broken up with him. He didn't go to school that day, but he didn't stay home, either. He went wandering for a long, long time. In his hand he was holding a folded white letter. He had found it taped to his door early that morning before school started. It had been a wonder how he hadn't heard Mitsuru putting it there—he had been awake the entire night.

Her handwriting was as beautiful and as unwavering as she. And, just like her, her words were cold, cruel, and unsympathetic.

_We're __over. __Don't __make __this __any __harder __than __it __has __to __be, __Akihiko. __You __and __I __are __no __good __for __each __other. __Try __to __understand __and __move __on._

_ Good things can't last forever._

_ —Mitsuru_

He had found himself trailing the railroad tracks, moving sluggishly, and almost waiting.

Waiting for what?

Waiting for the stupid train.

He wanted to jump in front of the train—wanted to end everything. If he couldn't get anything in control...

His best friend had died and his beautiful girlfriend had broken up with him.

What was _wrong_ with him!

It _had_ to be his fault.

It just _had_ to be.

Akihiko didn't know why he didn't jump that day. The train passed him three times and all three times he had been too scared.

Too chicken-shit.

What a disgrace when all he did was walk home at eleven o'clock at night.

Akihiko stared at the note longer, laughing to himself. "It's true," he admitted. "Every part of it."

Minato shifted uncomfortably in front of him. "How long had you been together, Akihiko-senpai?"

The boxer, still staring at the night, blew air through his lips. "About four years."

"Really? And what happened?"

"I don't know..." Akihiko crumpled the note in his hand, clenching it so hard that his knuckles turned white. "God, I...I just don't know...!"

Minato sat silent for a while, watching while Akihiko stared at the cold, cruel note before him. Oh, how he had _hated_ her when he first found that note. He knew he'd never be able to forgive her.

Not ever.

But then there was November the fourth, and...

"Akihiko-kun!" a knock came to the boxer's door, and he jumped off the bed to answer it. The little girl was standing there, coloring book clutched in hand. She looked up at him with big, sad eyes. "I just wanted to make sure you were still here. She's gone now, right?"

"Who? Suzume?"

Akiko nodded. "So you can stop hiding like me and come out now."

It took a moment for the child's words to register before he began to laugh. He hadn't thought about it like that, but he supposed that he _had_ been hiding from Suzume. After all, sometimes he caught her eavesdropping, and he was sure that she had been eavesdropping outside the door even just a few minutes ago before heading to work.

He knew that Suzume liked him, but he also knew deep down that Suzume was definitely _not_ his type.

"Ha, ha, you're right, Akiko. We'll be out in a minute, all right?"

"'Kay!" and she trotted down the hall back to the front room.

Akihiko looked after her, and then felt Minato push past him. Looking to see what was going on, the boxer asked, "Yes? Can I help you?"

"That...That's the girl? The one from the hospital that day?"

"Yeah?" Arching an eyebrow, Akihiko dared to ask, "Why?"

"I...I know that girl..." Turning, Minato slowly padded back into the boxer's room and sat down on his bed. "I know her..."

"Wait...what are you talking about? Of _course_ you know her! I mean...well...haven't you guys met before?"

Shaking his head, the blue-haired boy replied, "Not through you I haven't. But...But it all makes sense now..."

"What? What makes sense? Stop being so cryptic!"

"Akihiko-senpai...I doubt you remember, but I came home _very_ late one night a few months ago. I was taking the back roads because they were shorter and I wanted to get back to the dorms. It _was_ almost midnight after all. I spotted a group of Shadows huddled around something, but I couldn't see quite what it was. Nevertheless, I realized that at this point, we were in the Dark Hour. I knew I wouldn't be caught, so I used my Persona to rid the Shadows from whatever it was they were attacking.

"That little girl was in the middle of the group of Shadows. She seemed to be all right, but she was unconscious. I didn't know what that meant at the time, so I waited until the Dark Hour had passed before taking her to the police station. Turns out she had been missing after all. Her mother and she had gotten separated at the mall and Akiko went wandering."

Akihiko's lips twisted and then he deeply frowned.

"That makes sense now...for her illness...Not even the doctors could cure it...Even though the Kirijos own that hospital and know about the Shadows, they couldn't figure out if it was a Shadow that had gotten to her because it's almost impossible for a human to survive a Shadow attack."

"Exactly. From what we know about the Shadows, they are supposed to eat the minds of human beings, but since that didn't happen to Akiko, she could just be sick now as a result of the Shadow touching her."

"Do you think there's a way to help her then?" Akihiko appeared hopeful. He couldn't _believe_ that he now knew the source of the young girl's illness. And they were all masters of the Shadows. In time, he was sure they could figure it out.

"Maybe...I'll do some research on it. People don't normally survive Shadow attacks, Akihiko-senpai. She could be turning into a Shadow and we don't know it."

"Don't say that," but Akihiko had been thinking the same thing. "I'll do some research into it as well. We may be able to save her yet."

That was a comforting thought. Akihiko couldn't wait to begin checking into it.

"That means you'll have to join back into SEES," Minato pointed out.

Akihiko nodded, "Oh, and I forgot to mention...Suzume is having a Christmas party and housewarming party tomorrow. Sorry about the short notice."

"So then we're all invited?"

Akihiko laughed, "I wouldn't be telling you if you weren't."

"Well, I think I'll come. The others probably will, too. But...I don't think Mitsuru will."

"I wasn't expecting her to," the boxer shrugged. "You gonna stick around here for a while longer?"

"Sure," Minato said. "We should all go out for hamburgers to celebrate Suzume having to go to work, or whatever since you and Akiko both don't like her."

Akihiko's laughs intensified and he lightly punched his friend on the arm. "You're pretty mean. But burgers sound good. I'll take a break from my ramen shop, I suppose."

Following Akihiko out the door, Minato blurted out, "She still loves you, Akihiko-senpai. She just doesn't know how to show it."

Nights of November the fourth flooded Akihiko's head as he shoved Mitsuru's break-up note into his pants pocket.

"I know she does, too."

"And you for her? After all this time?"

"Always."

\/\/\/

I have to admit I stole the last line from HP's scene with Snape and Dumbledore. So romantic. :-D But the story's getting ready to hit its climax here soon, with this next chapter. I'm trying to pump these out as quickly as I can, so please bear with me. Hope you enjoyed it! Please RnR!

ML


	5. Christmas Disaster

**Disclaimer:** Don't own NOSSING!

**A/N:** I just started playing P3P, so it brought back my old obsession. I actually finished writing out this story, so all that's left is just to post the chapters. Makes me happy :-D

Nyahnyahkitty – The answer to your question herein lies in this chapter. Hope you enjoy it and thank you for reading.

Nexis – Haha, well, as I've said, I have the story completely written out. I hope I don't disappoint.

**\/\/\/**

**Divided By the Vow**

**Chapter Five**

**Christmas Disaster**

**\/\/\/**

The short notice of the Christmas/housewarming party was well lived as Suzume refused any kind of help decorating or putting the refreshments together. It was less than an hour away before the guests were scheduled to arrive and Akihiko's female co-worker was just _now_ going to the store.

"Why don't we just do this tomorrow?" he frowned at her and gestured to their wrecked apartment. "What have you spent the whole day doing, _anyway, _Suzume?"

Her face was flushed and her hair was pulled back into a scarf. "I _can't_ do it tomorrow," she whined, feather duster in hand and a pack of streamers in the other. "Rei and Cho go out of town to see their families in the morning. Besides, I'll have this all done in an hour." She gave him a wink that made him cringe.

"Why don't you let me help you then?" he changed the subject but tried not to allow the question to sound suggestive in a way that worked in her favor.

"That's very sweet of you, Aki. You see how much I'm struggling to put this all together, yet you are persistent in asking to help."

"I've _offered_ to help all day, but you've let your pride get in the way," he frowned. "And I find it imperative to get this party done because _I_ have friends coming, too, you know. I don't want it to look like we've wasted their time inviting them over and don't have anything to offer."

Suzume appeared stung at his remark, but passed it off with a high pitched giggle. "We'll get it done, I promise. And don't look at me as if I haven't done anything today, Aki. I've been organizing all day."

_I don't want to get into an argument...__**Don't**__ want to get into a fight..._

He rolled his eyes and clenched his teeth. "Fine, so _I'll_ run to the store while you finish decorating. Will that be okay?"

It was as though she had been holding out all day for him to ask two-hundred and fifty times. Now that he had, he was a winner.

"Oh, you are _such_ a sweetie! I have a grocery list over there if you want to hop into your little car and take a drive."

He spotted the sheet on the counter next to him and peered down at it. Bread, eggs, lettuce, toilet paper...?

"Suzume, what the _hell_ are you asking me to get here? What do you plan on making?"

"Oh, a little of this, a little of that..."

_I think I'm just going to grab the basics,_ Akihiko wordlessly grabbed the list and walked down the hall back to his room to grab his shoes and coat. _Chips and soda._

From inside his room, he could hear his cellphone jitter across his desk. Opening the door, he rushed toward it and brought it up to his face.

It was a text message from Minato.

_"Party today at five?"_

Frowning, Akihiko stooped down, brought his elbows in, and began to quickly push his fingers all over the mini keyboard.

_"Better make it six. Suzume made a tornado of the place. Getting ready to head to the store right now. Wanna come with?"_

He put the phone back into his pocket, left his room, and stopped in front of Akiko's. He knew how much the young girl didn't like Suzume, much less to be left alone with her, as Tadao had the closing shift today. Akihiko had requested the day off in advance.

"Akiko," he rapped his knuckles against her door. "Akiko, want to come to the store with me?"

He waited for a moment, heard the soft sound of tiny feet quickly crossing the floor, and the door swung open to reveal the little girl. She was sporting a cute pink and white dress with matching shoes.

"Akihiko-kun!" she clapped her hands together. "We're going to the store to get goodies for the party, right?"

"That's right," he nodded, but wondered how she knew. The child had probably been eavesdropping at the door on him and Suzume. It wouldn't have been hard, however. Their voices had probably been thunderous. "Would you like to come with me?"

Just as the words left his mouth, his cell phone began to vibrate in his pocket. He fished for it, pulled it out, and read the next text message.

_"Sure. I'll meet you out front. Mitsuru's here and I figured you didn't want to have to run into her."_

Akihiko gave a half smile. He wasn't sure he was so comfortable with Minato knowing his and Mitsuru's business, but it was nice to have someone to confide in when he needed it, and who understood the severity of the situation.

"Yeah! I wanna come!"

The boxer barely registered the child's words until a few moments after she had said them. He turned his attention from his phone down to her and nodded.

"All right, we're going to go and pick up Minato and we'll be on our way."

He was sure Suzume was listening in, and when he began to move back down the hall toward the living room, he _swore_ she gave a sharp movement back to whatever it was she had been doing. Akihiko ignored the working female and guided the child out the apartment and into the driveway.

Unlocking the driver's side door, he leaned over to let Akiko in. She buckled up as he started the car and they were on their way. He didn't mind as the child played with the stations on the radio and finally settled on one that was playing a song she knew the words to. She sang at an adorably off-key pitch, but it didn't bother Akihiko the way it bothered him when Suzume sang. Akiko stared out the window, still singing, and when the next song came on the radio, she sang to that, too.

Watching all of the bustling people crowd the street was entertaining to her, and seemed to calm Akihiko down as well. He hated seeing his apartment in such disarray, and all at the expense of a party that should've been arranged earlier. Still, he was happy to be in better company, with the child, and picking up Minato.

Minato...

He wondered if the boy had found out anything since their previous night's talk. It was absurd probably, as their leader had no time between then and now to make any kind of discovery. But they knew what the problem was and that was a start. If they could save Akiko's life...

She was so cute when she sang off key.

And there was also another reason Akihiko was looking forward to the party.

Secretly, of course.

Minato had promised to talk Mitsuru into coming to the party. If he could convince her, there would be a chance that she and Akihiko could bump into each other and maybe work things out.

It was a long shot, but she _had_ been acting a little friendlier toward him, and even if just a little...

Maybe...a chance...?

Indeed, Minato was waiting out front of the dorms for him, hands in his pockets, and his headphones on. He removed them as Akihiko pulled into the driveway.

"Hi, Minato!" Akiko waved as the other boy climbed into the backseat.

"How are you feeling today, Akiko?" he asked, though his eyes were on Akihiko.

The boxer looked at the dorms as though he were expecting someone else to walk out. Instead, he put the car into reverse, looked over the backseats, and pulled out.

"I'm doing good," she chirped. "We're going grocery shopping today for things for the party."

"Uh-oh," Minato chuckled. "Suzume didn't do anything beforehand?"

Akihiko shook his head, but said nothing.

"No!" Akiko firmly crossed her arms over her tiny chest and looked at the dashboard. "She put it all off on us! She's been dusting one spot all day around Akihiko-kun's room, hoping to run into him! She kept putting some weird bush at the top of his door, but whenever she wasn't looking, I'd use the footstool and take it down."

Akihiko found himself furiously blushing by now and Minato's chuckles had evolved into full blown laughter. The boxer only hoped that his concentration on the road would be enough to warrant complete silence from him.

_Make a left, then turn right...What the __**hell**__ is she __**doing**__ putting mistletoe above my door!_

"But," Akiko continued, "every time I'd take it down and hide it, she'd find more and put it back up. Talk about _rude!_ That bush probably has icky, yucky spiders crawling around in it!"

"I'm so sure," Minato was wiping tears away from his eyes. "Spiders. Isn't that right, Senpai?"

"...Shut up..."

He remained soundless throughout the rest of the trip into the store while sounds of Minato and the child chattering filled the car. Akihiko found himself so furious, he didn't want to _try_ to communicate with them anymore.

Suzume had wasted time all day putting _mistletoe_ above his door instead of getting ready for the party that _she_ had thrown together? What kind of _crazy_ stunt was_ that_ to pull!

They spent less than twenty minutes in the store, gathering supplies both on and off the list. Akihiko still wasn't sure what the lettuce and eggs were about, but he _conveniently_ forgot them by replacing the absurd items with cider and crackers.

"Cookies, juice, soda..." sang Akiko as she skipped down the next aisle. "Cracker platter, carrots..."

"She definitely seems better today," Minato whispered to his friend. "Much better than yesterday."

Akihiko nodded. "Say...have you found out anything yet, Minato?"

There was a pregnant pause on the other man's end and Akihiko's fear was confirmed. He couldn't condemn the boy—after all, they had _just_ learned of her condition, but it was still painful to swallow nonetheless.

"Not yet. I mean, her case is different than the normal Apathy Syndrome we've been experiencing. She doesn't hear voices calling for her, right?"

"I haven't noticed it."

"Hmm," Minato turned his head away, "her condition is different than the others. By now she should be mindless, pale, and unresponsive. But she's still so chipper and lively. And the Shadows feed on the mind. It's just not the same as a normal Lost case, is it?"

Akihiko thought about it for a moment, but found himself drawing a blank. Shaking his head, he said, "It's almost as though it's eating through the rest of her body, but hasn't yet touched her mind. Like a normal kid who is experiencing a severe case of the flu."

"Exactly as I see it," Minato concurred. "I'm waiting for our next trip to Tartarus to see if there's any connection involved."

"That's a good idea," but it left Akihiko bitter. _He_ wanted to go to Tartarus. Changing the subject as to avoid his absence in Tartarus, "So, did you ask Mitsuru to the party?"

This was an easier, surprisingly, subject for Minato to discuss.

"I did. She ignored me."

"Oh."

Akihiko wasn't surprised. Above everything, he would've been shocked if she had responded to it at all. Looking ahead to the small girl who was picking things off the shelf, he found himself sighing.

"Sorry, Senpai," Minato shrugged. "I thought she'd do that."

"Yeah," came Akihiko's dry chuckle. "I did, too."

"Although..." Minato drug the word out and stopped in the middle of the aisle, "...there's something I need to talk to you about, Senpai. I hope you won't take it the wrong way or anything."

Akihiko stopped and stared blankly at his friend. He wanted to be supportive, but suddenly felt like he wasn't going to like what he heard.

Minato must've been reading his thoughts because he laughed and said, "Senpai, you're already taking it the wrong way. Let me tell you first." Crossing his arms and leaning in, he began, "It's begun to make sense to me what's been going on the past couple of weeks and why. You see, a day or so after Akiko was let out of the hospital, Mitsuru-senpai started to ask me out after school."

The boxer felt a weight attach itself to his heart and drag it down. A thousand thoughts were flooding his mind, but all he could make out was, "W-What...?"

"Woah, woah, Senpai," Minato held out his hands defensively. "It's not _like_ that. You see, we'd usually end up going out to eat. And every restaurant she'd suggest would be one she'd later tell me was recommended by you."

The heat left Akihiko's face and was replaced with genuine confusion. "What? Recommended by _me?_ Like what? All I ever eat is fast food—the beef bowl place, Octopia, the Wild Duck Burger..." he ticked them all off on each of his fingers. And with every tick, there was a smile and nod from the younger man. Akihiko paused. "Are you saying that those are the kinds of places you and Mitsuru went to? W-Wait, Mitsuru doesn't even _like_ fast food. During the whole time we dated, that was the one thing we could never agree on. She always wanted to eat fancy and I wanted to eat cheap."

"That's what puzzled me as well. But just about every place we went to had her confessing that you had talked about it first."

And that was another good point. Mitsuru...was _talking_ about _him?_

Akihiko suddenly found his courage fleeting and there was the urge to _not_ know what was being said about him.

Still...he had to ask.

"What..." he took a deep breath. "What was Mitsuru saying about me?"

"Oh, besides it being you who had mentioned the restaurants we visited first?" The way Minato said it was too casual for Akihiko's taste. It was like he was hiding something. And indeed, he _was._ "She kept asking if I had noticed the drastic change in you lately. Things like who you were hanging out with, seeing, your work, your school, everything really."

"That doesn't make sense," the boxer frowned. "Who I was _seeing?_"

"I think she was talking about Suzume, though _she_ never confessed to that."

Oh no. _No_ way. Here it was again. The _jealousy_ card.

"I think you're misunderstanding, Minato," but Akihiko felt his voice fumble in his throat. He had to pause, clear it, and then close his eyes. After a moment, he continued, "Mitsuru's not a jealous person."

"I think you're giving her too much credit. Remember, Senpai, she may be rich, but she's human just like the rest of us."

Minato was still smiling. Why the _hell_ was he smiling? Akihiko bit down on his lip and gave a disgruntled sigh. Maybe he _wanted_ Mitsuru to be jealous—feel _something_ for God's sake! If she did, maybe he could get answers...

"One day, we were hanging out in the library," the blue-haired youth brought the boxer back to reality, "and she suddenly became sentimental. She explained how we would probably never see each other again once we went off to college. Then she brought up her father."

Even though the Kirijo man was dead, the mere mentioning of him was enough to still send chills across Akihiko's neck. Mitsuru had never confirmed it, but Akihiko strongly believed that Takeharu Kirijo had played a large part in the problems of their relationship. And, even in death, his shadow lingered over the ashes of what was left. It left the boxer bitter and angry.

Minato saw that nothing was going to come from the silence and he went on with his story, "Her father and problems, like her status, her future, the expectations of everyone around her..." Akihiko rolled his eyes. Status. That was the only thing Mitsuru had _ever_ cared about. "And marriage," Minato finished with a smirk.

The blue-haired leader had the older man right where he wanted him to be, and Akihiko knew it. The chills had disappeared and were replaced by something warm and uncomfortable.

"M...Marriage?"

"That's right. She asked what my thoughts were on it and I told her it was a result of love. I couldn't understand why she looked so forlorn at first or why she said that she would never be able to make that kind of decision based upon her emotions. She told me a marriage had already been arranged for her."

Something bubbled up inside Akihiko that he couldn't quite explain. Was it hatred? Jealousy? Anger?

He wanted to know more. He wanted to know who the mail-order groom was and give him a swift kick where the boxer knew it would hurt the most.

The arranged marriage had been a factor in his and Mitsuru's relationship. Her parents' marriage had been arranged, too, and they eventually grew to love each other, but Akihiko wanted no part of it. He loved Mitsuru, even if all he could do was turn out his pockets and have nothing to show for it. Arranged marriages...They had tried to avoid it—tried to find another way around it.

It looked like it had caught up with them in the end regardless.

But still...

He couldn't help but feel so very, very miserable about it.

"But, Senpai..." Minato leaned in closer as an elderly couple walked down the same aisle they were on. "There was one thing she said that confused me, but makes so much sense now that I know what you had going on between you."

"Oh?" Akihiko asked, dejectedly. "What's that?"

"She said that if she had one last chance to speak to her father, she would ask him to reconsider."

Reconsider?

Reconsider _what?_

The puzzlement must've appeared upon the other man's face because Minato gave him a nudge and said, "_You_ know."

"No. No, I really _don't._"

Leaning back, the leader grinned again, "Then I'm gonna let you think on it. I think you're letting your emotions cloud the meaning."

"Gee, thanks," Akihiko began to push the cart forward again, careful not to run over the elderly couple who had decided to camp out in the middle of the aisle. Deep down, it irritated him that Minato was making him play a stupid guessing game. "So, through all that, you're not _dating_ Mitsuru, are you? Because that will turn out bad."

"You must not have heard anything I've been saying," the boxer heard from over his shoulder. "And _no, _Senpai, we haven't hung out since. I started to avoid the outings after I found that letter in your room. I think...I think she wanted you to see us together and get the wrong idea, but I also think she wanted to talk about you two as well."

"Ha, Mitsuru's a very private person. She wouldn't—"

"Things have changed, Senpai. You've left the team, you moved out, the Fall's coming..."

The Fall.

Akihiko didn't want to hear about the Fall.

He stopped in the middle of the aisle and waited for his friend to catch up.

"Mitsuru-senpai's starting to realize that she can't separate her status from her true self anymore. I'm telling you this because you need to realize she doesn't hate you. Quite the contrary, really. But...I can't make you see that. You'll have to do that yourself."

The boxer didn't look back to Minato, nor did he respond.

It was too much. He couldn't believe it.

Not from Mitsuru.

Not from the woman whom he had shared his heart and soul with, only to have it smashed before him like it was nothing.

And he never knew why.

"Thanks for telling me all this," Akihiko mumbled, which surprised him. He was actually genuine, but, saying so was difficult. Anything that had to do with Mitsuru was difficult.

Akiko materialized in the aisle once more and came rushing back to deliver the goods into the cart. After making sure that everything needed was there, the child helped place the food and plastic utensils up onto the checkout stand. She stepped back and waited patiently while everything was rung up.

"That will be 6,457 yen, sir."

Akihiko felt himself jolt back.

"H-How much?" he stammered.

"Wow, Senpai..." Minato blinked. "That's a lot of money..." He began to fish in his back pocket for a wallet. "Let me help you."

"N-No," Akihiko waved him away. "This is _our_ party; you're a guest. But I'm definitely making Suzume go in half with me..."

"I have some money, Akihiko-kun," little Akiko held up both hands. Cupped like a bowl, a pool of change was pushed toward him. "I have about five yen to help."

While he was blinking uncontrollably at the child, Minato stepped forward and handed the woman a wad of bills.

"This should take care of it," the navy-haired youth told her.

Snapping back into reality, Akihiko reached out to swat the money away, "Minato, _no!_"

But the money had already been placed into the drawer and Minato's changed dispensed.

"Thank you, sir," the clerk nodded and smiled before moving onto those next in line.

The younger man placed the groceries in the cart, Akihiko glaring unforgivably at him, then pushed the cart toward the door.

"Awwww," Akiko lowered her little hands, coins beginning to spill through the cracks of her fingers. "I wanted to help pay..."

"No, no one should've paid, but _me,_" the boxer said, sternly, and knelt down to help the child pick up her lost currency. "Minato, I'm paying you _back!_"

But he had already passed through the front door, cackling hysterically.

\/\/\/

When the trio had returned to the apartment, Suzume was still readying the house, but all of her friends had arrived. Each of them were helping to decorate the house because, as Akihiko figured it, she hadn't finished in time and delegated her work to them.

"Cho, finish the dishes, will you?" Suzume pointed and then turned to another girl whose hair was in braided pigtails. "Rei, the vacuum is in the closet over there. Just use Tadao's. Kimiko, no! The streamers do _not_ go like that. Kaede, gosh! Put your back into it!"

"Suzume!" Akihiko called over the blaring stereo and her own shouts. She turned to him and he held up several bags of groceries. "Think you can help us out with these?"

"Oh, Aki! I was expecting you later! We're nowhere _near_ ready for the food!"

"For the love of—"

Akihiko was interrupted when Minato stepped forward, taking the groceries from his Senpai's hands.

"You know, I'm pretty good at cooking," the navy-haired youth admitted. "How about I prepare all the food and you guys get the house looking presentable?"

Suzume narrowed her eyes at him. "_You,_ Minako?"

"It's _Minato,_" the boxer forcefully corrected. "And what do you _mean_ you weren't expecting us until later? It's after five as it is! All of _your_ friends are already here and you're having them do what _you_ should've done _hours_ ago!"

Suzume flicked her hair back with one hand. "And my friends _did_ show up, Aki. Where are _yours?_ Didn't _you_ invite any?"

"I told them between six and six-thirty," Minato cut in, setting the bags upon the counter. He was already going through them as he said, "When they asked why, I explained that Suzume was holding everyone up."

Mouth agape, Akihiko's co-worker stared in bewilderment to Minato's unabashed confession. Akiko was giggling wildly and Suzume turned to the boxer, as if to say, "You're going to let him _talk_ to _me_ like that?"

Akihiko shrugged. "Well, I'll help with the food, too."

"Oooh! Oooh!" Akiko rose her hand and jumped up and down. "I wanna help!"

"So the three of us," Akihiko guided the child toward the kitchen, "will prepare the food while you and your friends finish decorating."

Still standing with her jaw agape, Suzume watched as they removed everything from the bags and conversed about what to make for appetizers.

Minato decided on rice balls with jelly filling and a decorated seaweed cracker platter while Akiko arranged cookies, and Akihiko helped however he could. The truth was that he was very bad at cooking. It had been Shinji who prepared meals, and he was a damn good cook to boot. While he had been on the team, he had even made Koromaru his own personal dishes.

It was times like these that Akihiko missed him all the more.

Not long before six did the others begin to show up. Some more of Suzume's, both male and female, along with the boxer's former dorm friends. As he had predicted, Mitsuru wasn't amongst them, but he couldn't deny that he wasn't surprised. Suzume cranked up the music, pushed back the furniture, and began the Christmas festivities.

Minato finished the appetizers, and Akiko put out the cookies. By this point, she appeared pale and worn out. She had talked less while they cooked, which made the two men keep an eye on her even more. The girl tried to make friendly introductions with Fuuka and Yukari, who wanted to spend more time with her. Even Ken was excited to see someone there near his own age, as he had not had the opportunity to meet her previously. Akihiko had felt responsible for that. He hadn't been able to take Akiko over to play with Ken for fear of Mitsuru and her wrath.

But as excited as Ken and Koromaru (who tagged along) were, Akiko appeared rather exhausted.

"I don't feel good," she told Akihiko, whose concerns heightened.

Junpei, who had been nearby, pointed to himself, "Let me take her to her room. I'll make sure nothing's wrong."

"Junpei," Akihiko's brow furrowed together, "you don't have to do that. She's not your responsibility—You hardly _know_ her."

The class clown tossed his head back, "You've been working hard all day, Senpai. Why don't you take time off to enjoy the party? I'll go play a game with her or something." Flashy a toothy smile, he leaned down to Akiko and asked, "So, uh, you wanna play house or tea party or whatever it is little kids do?"

She appeared hesitant at first, and Akihiko guessed it was because she didn't know Junpei, but quickly reconsidered and bobbed her head up and down.

Standing back up, Junpei whispered to the boxer, "I'll put her to bed. Don't worry, I won't walk out until I know she's all right."

The two moved through the crowd to get to the hall, and Akihiko watched after them.

_Why was he being so nice? Did...Did Minato tell Junpei what was going on with Akiko?_

But before he got the chance to voice the question to his friend, he was pulled aside by Yukari and Fuuka, who had joined Suzume's friends, Cho and Hitoshi for a round of karaoke.

"I...I don't sing..." he mumbled as his attention was pulled to the screen and of Suzume's terrible rendition of "Sexy Music." "Neko Oikawa does it better..." the boxer said to no one in particular.

Minato was acting as a regular butler, holding the platter of decorated seaweed crackers out for people to take. In his other hand was a much smaller plate with several drinks on top.

"Thank you for coming," he was telling the different guests before giving an unnecessary bow.

Akihiko watched him strangely, as though what he was witnessing was more awkward than meeting the King Shadow himself, Ryoji.

_Nyx...Nyx is coming..._

The boxer frowned and turned away.

_No...No this is supposed to be a __**party.**__ I can't dwell on this right now._

A flash of white caught his attention and he watched Koromaru dart around the room in between guests chasing Ken. The boy was laughing while the pup was giving playful barks. A few of Suzume's friends joined in—mostly girls who were delighted to see a little dog romping around. It was enough to cause Akihiko to smile, and he heard Yukari's voice come over the microphone as she began singing on the karaoke machine.

_She's actually not half bad._

He turned to watch her for a moment as Fuuka cheered and Cho clapped. Suzume stared at Yukari, but appeared uninterested. Minato circled around to her end and shouted, "Go Yukari!" which prompted her to stumble over the next line of words. She turned to face him and gave him an annoyed look, but her eyes sparkled with laughter.

About an hour into the party, Tadao had emerged. He greeted everyone as brightly as he normally did, but the evident bags under his eyes told a different story. Junpei withdrew from Akiko's room around this point, to which Tadao learned that his sister wasn't feeling well. It dampened his mood severely, and, though he remained out in the front room with everyone, he spent his time in the kitchen slowly snacking on all the appetizers.

Several times Akihiko tried to talk to him, but Tadao had shut down. He wasn't rude or callous, but the icy vibration that was released from Tadao was enough for the boxer to know when to step aside or keep his distance.

Suzume tried to bring him more into the party, but he was half tempted to retire to his room. If it hadn't been for the fact that Rei had shown up, who was apparently a joint friend of both Suzume and Tadao's, he probably would have. Rei kept him out in the front room, distracted with conversation. Whether she was doing this because she knew about Akiko or because she just wanted to talk, Akihiko didn't know.

Other than Tadao's sour disposition, it was entertaining watching them and how smoothly the party had actually unfolded. Akihiko still found himself worried about Akiko, but was otherwise all right.

_No you're not. You're not all right._

"Yes I am," he whispered to himself.

_Then why aren't you in the mood for this? Why does going back to your room and curling into a little ball sound more appealing than hanging with your friends, all of whom __**you**__ invited?_

"I don't have to take this from you," he snarled and retreated to the front door.

As he turned the knob, he heard the tiny voice say: _You're stuck with me wherever you go, Akihiko. I __**am**__ you._

"Sounds more like an argument with Shinji than myself," he stepped through the front door, not caring if anyone had heard him talking to himself.

He stood on the front step and looked down to where his car and Suzume's car sat in the driveway. Tadao was parked out on the street, parallel to the sidewalk. They had been lucky enough to have an apartment with a driveway that sat so close to the back streets, rather than having to walk a ways to the parking lot. No one seemed to mind that they took up the street, either. Everyone else within the complex had no driveway or street to park on. It was also a good thing that old Ms. Ojima couldn't drive; she had been nice enough to give up her driveway spot for Akihiko's car.

The boxer absentmindedly moved down the stairs, slowly, his hand tracing the stair rail. When he got to the bottom, he walked over to his car and leaned up against it. He could hear the beat of the music from his apartment window. Fuuka was singing now, and she wasn't that great, as Akihiko was unfortunate enough to realize. He hoped that Ms. Ojima didn't mind the music—or her voice, for that matter. He stared up at the starry sky, void of clouds and mist. If it hadn't been so chilly outside a walk would've been in order. But it _was_ cold, and Akihiko didn't feel much like doing anything.

In truth, he was depressed that Mitsuru hadn't shown up like he had hoped. It probably meant that they wouldn't really interact with each other again. Now that he had moved out of the dorm, there was no connection between them. His friends could come over, but Akihiko wasn't welcome at the dorms, nor would Mitsuru waste her time coming over to see him. Although she was talking to him more, he refused to get his hopes up that it meant any more than the simple 'hi' and 'bye' routine.

He had _really_ wanted her to come to the party...

Akihiko had barely registered the front door opening and a set of clicking footsteps descending the steps. It wasn't until Suzume had stood completely in front of him that he recognized her form. She was only casually dressed for the party, which surprised him. A thin, light colored sweater, a halter top, tight black pants—maybe Capri—and dainty little shoes. He thought she would've spent more time dressing up, but she hadn't changed her clothes at all, even while cleaning.

Even still, it didn't really matter much to him. He stared at her for a moment.

"What's up?" he asked, eyebrow quirked.

"I was wondering where you had gotten to," she flashed a sly smile. "When I saw you weren't watching us sing karaoke anymore, I came looking."

"I was making the rounds, not just watching you sing karaoke," he turned his body so that he was now facing the street. "It's cold outside. You're going to catch something."

Suzume giggled, "I appreciate your concern, but I'm a tough girl, too, Aki."

He rolled his eyes, "About that nickname..."

"You let Akiko call you 'Akihiko-kun,'" she complained and folded her arms.

Akihiko grunted and shook his head. "That's...different. She's a _kid,_ Suzume. A _dying_ kid. I don't want to make it any harder for her than it is now."

"By letting _her _call you by a nickname, but not me?"

"It gives her a sense of security—someone she can look up to. As I'm sure you've noticed, Tadao is doing a fine job of avoiding her."

Suzume sidled in closer. Akihiko could feel her hip against his.

"But you know he _cares,_ Aki. He's just trying to hide it."

"I just don't want him to have any regrets," the boxer sighed. "He's gonna beat himself up if she dies and he never had closure with her..."

Suzume took his hand in hers. He twinged slightly and tried to slowly pull back, but her grip tightened. "You're a good man, Aki," she maneuvered her body so that she was facing him. "Taking this all upon yourself like you've been doing to help out Akiko and her family. It's what I find attractive about you."

Akihiko braced himself the best he could as she batted her eyelashes at him and pushed herself against him.

"Listen..." he began, trying to slide out from underneath her. He managed to escape and backed away toward the stairs. "It's getting cold. Let's get back to the party."

Tears welled in the girl's eyes and Akihiko felt his defenses crumble.

_Oh God, not __**this...**_

"What?" he asked. "What did I do wrong?"

Her bottom lip trembled, her shoulders shook, and the tears spilled freely down her face.

She was silent for a moment more before rushing forward and jumping into his arms. She burst out crying. He caught her mostly to keep from falling backwards, but her embrace was strangling. Burying her face into Akihiko's shirt, she began to babble in a loud voice that caused Ms. Ojima to open her window and shout, "Take it inside!"

Suzume continued to cry as Akihiko inattentively stroked her back, looking all around and feeling awkward.

"Okay, okay," he sighed after a moment. "Let's get you upstairs and you can tell me what's bothering you."

She nodded, sniffled, and allowed him to guide her up the stairs with one arm around her shoulders.

_How did I get myself into this mess now?_

He opened the front door, gently allowed her through, then stepped in himself. The party was still going strong—Minato and Yukari were doing a duet now—and Akihiko realized that Junpei completely had joined the ranks. He hadn't yet had the chance to ask the younger man how things with Akiko had went.

"Hey, Senpai!" the class clown waved. "She's asleep, so you have nothing to worry about."

"Great, how was she when she finally fell asleep?"

Suzume was pulling on Akihiko to hurry and move toward his room.

Junpei appeared oblivious of the impatient girl, "Still seemed a little down, but fell asleep easy enough. I'll go check up on her again here in a bit."

"Thanks, Junpei," the boxer smiled before giving in and allowing himself to be dragged along.

Akihiko made a silent prayer that Akiko would be all right, and that Minato would find a cure for her soon. The boxer couldn't bear the thought of the child being as animated and voluminous as she was now to suddenly be reduced to a coffin with a grave marker.

It tore the heart out of his chest to even think in such a way.

Suzume grabbed the handle, turned it, and pushed the door open. Stepping through, she did the honors of turning on all of the lights in Akihiko's room and moseyed on in, her solemn disposition she had shown only a moment ago now gone. The boxer's mind was delayed to the conversation between he and Junpei, and he hardly noticed that Suzume had kicked off her pretty little shoes and fallen back onto his bed.

He used a hand to push the door slowly shut, but the lack of force left it slightly ajar. Attention coming back to the here and now, Akihiko realized that his bed had an occupant on top of it.

"Suzume..." he began, intending to ask her to take a seat at his desk instead.

She didn't give him the chance.

"I just _really _wanted to apologize, Aki," she sat up and looked up at him. He felt his face redden as she intentionally gave a shameless display of her cleavage. "You're right, I should've let you help me earlier instead of doing it all by myself. The party would've been a disaster if you hadn't rushed to my rescue."

"Akiko and Minato helped, too," the boxer pointed out.

"Oh, yes. Them, too," but she didn't sound too concerned with extending gratitude to anyone else. "But, Aki, I...I just want you..."

"Can I ask you a question? _Why_ would you put mistletoe up over my door?"

The question took the girl aback and he watched her eyes dart back and forth, shaken. Apparently, when put to her like that, the deed came off as despicable.

"I-I was intending to put it over everyone's door. T-To decorate, you know."

"Come on, Suzume, you and I both know that that's not what you were intending."

Backed into a corner at this point, Akihiko watched as his co-worker's face dissolved into "last resort" mode. Her lips trembled, eyes watered, and her fingers curled around his bed comforter tightly.

"I just...want you to like me..." the high pitched sad squeal began. "You're so smart and talented...I don't know what you see in Little Miss Kirijo. I would _never_ hurt you like that..."

She innovated her deep confession and successfully knocked Akihiko off balance. He hated being off balance. In the ring, he was always prepared, always knew the enemy's weakness, and how to strike. But Suzume was a _girl._ A girl whom he had known had always liked him, but hearing it from her mouth for the first time was a blow. It wasn't like Mitsuru, whom Akihiko had always been comfortable in dealing with. He couldn't handle other women.

"I...I..." he couldn't manage to speak. He didn't know how. How was he supposed to deal with this?

"I..." she was getting off the bed. Somehow in the midst of his thinking, she had slipped the sweater from off her shoulders, leaving her clad in a form-fitting halter top. Her breasts were accented, most likely intentional, and she was moving toward him. "I want you to give me a chance. I want to be your girl."

Arm reaching backward, Akihiko's hand fumbled for the doorknob. Suzume stalked closer, still wearing her sad eyes, but a small smile had formed. Fingers gripping desperately around the brass handle, Akihiko pulled it open, thoughts of escaping this horrible situation flooding his mind.

But he didn't get as far as the door banging on the other wall before Suzume had thrown her arms around his neck and whispered, "I love you, Aki."

Then her lips were against his, and her fingers were roaming his body. Paralyzed with fear, Akihiko felt his worst fear come true as she backed him into the open door, kissing him violently. She moaned against his mouth, untucked his shirt, and reached for his belt. The boxer lost his grip on the doorknob, and struggled to overcome his anxiety of another woman besides Mitsuru grabbing at his pants.

_This isn't right. Stop it. __**Stop it!**_

She brought both of his hands up to her hips, encouraging him to wander, but he was trembling, and wanted to venture no further.

_I can't do this. I don't love her._

Suzume pushed herself up against his body, her hipbone grinding into his. It was a sharp pain, and one that he needed in order to regain control.

"Suzume, I—"

The words, "I can't," couldn't leave his mouth before his worst fear was replaced with his worst nightmare. There, standing in a beautiful red dress that Akihiko recognized as a Birthday gift he had given last year, was Mitsuru Kirijo. She was outside his door, hands clasped together at her chest. Her lips were parted, and a flash of terror crossed her eyes. She stared at Akihiko, breathing an air of betrayal. He watched as a single tear spilled from her eye, trailed down her rosy cheek, and splashed onto the ground below.

He knew he would never forget that look on her face.

"Oh, God, Mitsuru—!"

But she had turned heel and fled back down the hallway, disappearing into the crowd of people.

"Let her go, Aki," Suzume pinned him against the door using her own body. She giggled and leaned in to kiss him again.

"Like hell I will," he pushed her aside, causing her to stumble back. "Sorry, Suzume, but I love someone else."

His words disappeared into the air as he darted after her, his belt whipping against his stomach from where Suzume had tried to remove it. Throwing himself into the crowd, he heard them cry out at his uncalled for behavior.

But Akihiko didn't care.

Pushing through the crowd as though he were swimming unsuccessfully by way of an upstream river, his eyes met Minato's, who was standing by the door.

"She ran out, Senpai," he confessed. "I tried to stop her, but..."

"Thanks, Minato," but Akihiko was already out of the apartment by the time he had spoken these words.

Dashing down the stairs, the boxer skipped the last seven steps by balancing his hands on either side of the railing and jumping to the bottom. He quickly looked around, but the sound of a revving engine made his heart sink. From out of the bushes, he saw where Mitsuru had parked her bike and now was immediately departing on it.

"Mitsuru, wait!" he screamed after her dashing into the road. "You have it all wrong!" But she was gone, and her form disappeared within seconds, a plume of exhaust the only thing she left behind. "_Mitsuru!_"

Sinking to his knees, Akihiko felt his own heart break, and tears filled his eyes. Quickly bringing his hands up to his face, he began to wail into them, his body wracking with grief.

He had screwed things up.

He had screwed them up _big_ time.

She had come to reconcile, he was sure. She wouldn't have worn something he had given her—she hadn't in _months,_ after all—if she wasn't serious about what she was doing.

Mitsuru had wanted to ask her father to reconsider.

Reconsider his decision about their relationship.

_Now_ Akihiko thought he knew what Minato had meant.

But it didn't matter now.

He stayed out there for a while, maybe a half hour or more, as tears unceasingly soaked his hands and face. Akihiko couldn't stop. Didn't know how.

He could never fix this.

Then there were screams coming from inside his apartment. Screams? Wasn't the party still going on?

Akihiko could hear sirens in the distance.

"_Senpai—!_"

Minato tore out the door and down the stairs. Akihiko didn't want his friend to see him like this.

Swollen eyes. Red face. Broken. Failure.

That appeared to be the last thing on Minato's mind as he reached the boxer's side and did his best to yank him to his feet.

"Minato, what..."

"It's Akiko!" the blue-haired youth screamed. "She's not breathing!"

The words hit Akihiko and he found himself standing on his own. "What! What are you _talking _about!"

"She came out of her room and collapsed in Tadao's arms! He's called an ambulance, but you need to get inside, _quickly!_"

Ambulance?

Then...those sirens were for...

"N-No," the boxer found himself unable to comprehend anything anymore. Mitsuru was gone. Akiko was going to die. He staggered against his friend and lost balance. Minato did his best to hold him up. "N-No...! N-Not Akiko...!" he stammered, incapable of breathing. "Minato...we...we need to find a cure! N-Need to find a cure for her!"

"Let's get her breathing, again," the leader said as calmly as he could. "We gotta get her to a hospital first, Senpai. Breathe. _Breathe_ for me. Akiko needs us now. We'll deal with Mitsuru later."

He was right.

He was _right,_ but Akihiko felt so damn wrong.

The screams from the apartment were getting louder, and Ms. Ojima had finally come out of her own apartment, screaming for the noise to soften.

"_Where's the ambulance!_" Akihiko recognized the cry as Tadao's.

"They're on their way! Stay _calm!_" That was Yukari. "Fuuka, prop her head up! Junpei! Make sure everyone stays back!"

Eventually, Yukari's voice was drowned out by the screams and shouts of everyone else in the room. It was strange, Akihiko found. As the panic rose in his apartment, his own panic had softened. Maybe it was because Minato was there. Minato knew everything that was going on. And, somehow, he always had the answers.

Akiko would be all right.

Things would work out with Mitsuru.

These feelings, just by being with another friend, came clearer than before.

"Minato," Akihiko began, even though his words were trembling. "We...We gotta help Akiko. She can't die," tears were freely spilling down his face again. "Please. We...We have to save her."

He knew he looked weak. Looked foolish and weak. But it was human.

God...so powerless. Just like with Miki...

The sirens were getting closer.

"The ambulance is here," Minato said, flashes of red highlighting his face.

\/\/\/

Looking back through this and the past couple of chapters, I realize how much of a nuisance Suzume is. But she fits into Akihiko's dysfunctional and inbred fanclub, so I don't feel half as bad. Next chapter is the climax and one more after that. I'll be posting the last two chapters within a couple of weeks, and that'll conclude this story that's taken way too long to write and post.

I hope the chapter was all right, and sorry if it wasn't. Comments and criticism are always welcomed, but please don't flame me. Flames will be used to make paper airplanes and have them soar into the air just to come back down and crash and burn. XD Seriously. Be kind please.

ML


	6. Into Tartarus

**Disclaimer: **Forgot to mention in the last chapter that I don't Neko Oikawa in particular, but her version of Sexy Music is awesome, as well as the original. Still...I own less than NOSSING!

**A/N:** I know I said a couple weeks and it ended up being more. I had several people beg I update earlier, and that really WAS my intention, but, sigh, life. Always in the way. But here's the second to last chapter. Hope it's not terrible.

ToonMasta – I'm really glad you enjoyed the story up until now. From the moment I posted the first chapter, I was worried about the sort of comments I'd garner, since it's not exactly a typical Persona 3 scenario and hoped that my own OCs wouldn't drive readers away. It's good to know that that hasn't been a factor, and I'm glad you've stayed with this up to now, given my sad lack of updates. Akihiko was probably the one I feared the most because I know how dense he is around girls and I was hoping to keep in him character. As for Minato, that's the way I've always pictured him, too, and I kind of fused him with my idea of Persona 1's main character: wise crack, cunning, silent, but a good friend. As for Suzume, who've I wanted to have get hit by a car since I first wrote her, will get what she deserves, I guarantee MUCH pain. XD And a happy ending will be in order, I very much promise that :-D

CFUnlimited – Haha, once I read your review, I was REALLY trying to get the next chapter posted in the next day or so after. Didn't happen, but I'm honored that you ended up reading instead of studying. XD I will admit that I've done that myself many a time. After all, why do now what you can do later? ...Guess that's a bad philosophy. But I will definitely try to get the last chapter up sooner. I really will.

Aeon Arcana – Haha, thank you for being an awesome reviewer :-D I'm pretty sure Suzume gets to be the scape goat character of whom we can take out all of our hatred. I don't want to spoil anything, but I WILL say that there will be a happy ending. I will make sure of that lol.

Edie valentine – Thank you! I hope this chapter does its job to work out the build out :-D Glad you're liking the story.

Anm – I'm sorry, I really am. I hope this one makes up for it?

All right, onto the next chapter!

**\/\/\/**

**Divided By the Vow**

**Chapter Six**

**Into Tartarus**

**\/\/\/**

It seemed like hours before anyone spoke again since Akiko had been loaded up on the gurney and taken to the hospital. Having come by the monorail, the SEES crew had no other means of transportation. Minato, Yukari, Fukka, and Ken piled into Akihiko's small car, while Junpei, Koromaru, and Suzume took to Tadao's. It was strange to have the two men who were the most unstable driving (and Junpei made a whispered note about Tadao's constant red light running and near death experiences once they arrived at the hospital), but no other SEES member had their driver's license, and Suzume claimed to be too worked up to drive.

Still, Minato did his best to keep the boxer calm as he drove down the main road, and Fuuka and Yukari held hands in the back, trying to stay supportive. Ken just stared out the window, but Minato tried to keep him included in the conversation, as to distract the young child from thinking about what was happening. A boy of ten wasn't meant to witness death like this. But fate had been cruel. First, his mother, then Shinjiro, Mitsuru's father and Ikutsuki, and then...

Akihiko couldn't remember how he had kept his cool. He couldn't remember driving, passing under the underpasses, or going through the stop lights. His mind was a spiral of thoughts, from Mitsuru to Akiko—two people who seemed so far away from him at the moment.

_Please..._ he swallowed back more tears for fear of showing the others his weakness, and for disturbing his visibility while driving. _Don't let her die. Not yet._

_ Not when there's a chance she can still be saved..._

He couldn't even remember pulling into the hospital. Akihiko's mind began to clear an hour into sitting impatiently in the waiting room, a circle of his friends and co-workers around him. Suzume's friends had gone home, but Akihiko's were all right in the waiting room. Tadao was across from him, his head hung and hidden behind his baseball cap. Suzume had her arms around him, attempting to console him.

"It'll be okay," she whispered, but he didn't respond.

Akihiko realized how dry his mouth was from not speaking or moving his jaw for so long. His eyes found the clock on the other side of the room. Two hours had gone by before Suzume's first words to Tadao had broken him from his thoughts. He turned to Minato, who finally had the time to appear somber after helping everyone else through the terrible crisis. The blue-haired youth's eyes were on the floor, staring at something invisible, so Akihiko looked to Yukari and Fuuka. Ken sat between them, their hands on his shoulder and knee. Koromaru lay solemnly at the child's feet. Even Junpei appeared disturbed, as his eyes traced the windowsill next to him.

"When's the doctor going to come out?" Yukari asked to no one in particular, frustrated. She closed her eyes, brows furrowed together. "It's been _way_ too long without any word."

"I'm sure they're doing everything they can," Fuuka replied. Her attention turned to the boxer. "Where's her mother and uncle? Why aren't they here?"

"I used Akihiko-senpai's phone when the ambulance showed up," Minato cut in before Akihiko could reply. "Satoru answered. He and Manami went to Okinawa to visit relatives. They're trying to catch a flight back here, but..."

The room fell silent.

Akihiko felt a lump form in his throat. But what? They wouldn't make it back in time?

"Minato..." he whispered.

"She probably won't last the night, Senpai," the other leaned in and whispered. "If the Shadow's effects are taking its toll, she won't. And did you notice outside? The moon is growing full."

Growing...full...

The cases of Apathy Syndrome always increased around this time. Was the Shadow finally calling for Akiko? Could the moon be affecting her illness?

How could Akihiko _miss_ such a serious sign? Had he been too preoccupied to notice?

The boxer clenched his fist, damning his weakness. He looked over at Tadao, who hadn't budged since first coming here. He was as still as a mannequin, and as lifeless as the waiting room had been moments ago. He didn't know what to say, or how to comfort his friend when he, himself, couldn't be consoled.

He knew what ailed Akiko, but was powerless to save her. Why couldn't he save her?

Akihiko was about to say something to Tadao—anything that came to mind—but was interrupted by an opening door and an emerging doctor who was out of breath.

"D-Did she wander in here?" he asked, face pale and body shaking.

"_Who?_" Yukari drug the word out, confused.

"The patient—Akiko Yoshida. We had stabilized her for the moment, and I left the room to speak with the nurse. When I returned, she was not in bed."

For the first time in many hours, Tadao's head sprung up, his eyes large and attentive.

"W-What?" the word was soft. But then he erupted, "Where's my _sister?_" Jumping up, Tadao rushed toward the doctor, "_Where's my sister? __**Where? Where? Where?**_"

His hands were wrapped around the doctor's neck. Junpei and Minato took action and attempted to put an end to the other man's abusive actions. The doctor struggled against the violent Lucky Cat worker and Junpei leg-locked Tadao, while Minato pulled him away by the shoulders.

"Get off me!" Tadao raged, shoving the two SEES members aside.

Turning on his heel, he ran for the door, tore it open, and screamed his sister's name as he disappeared into the night.

"Wait!" the doctor reached out toward the open door, and the others sprung to their feet.

"This ain't good," Junpei stared after the empty door. "Now they're _both_ gone."

"We can't just stand here," Yukari followed Junpei's gaze. "We need to find them!"

"Let's get a hold of Mitsuru," Junpei suggested. "Meanwhile, Fuuka can try to track them down."

"Uh..." the emerald-haired girl turned her eyes downcast. "I...I'll try."

"I'll call the police," the doctor dashed back through the door.

Akihiko nodded toward Suzume, "You should probably get home."

"No!" Taking a step toward the boxer, she held out her arms, "Aki...please...I want to be with you..."

"This is serious business," he turned away from her and dodged her reaching grasp. "If you're not going to go home, then stay here with the doctor in case she turns up."

"But, I want to be with _you!_"

"No," his eyes narrowed and he glared at her. "You're _not_ coming. Stay here or go home. It's your choice." Not giving her the chance to speak again, he turned to his friends, "Let's split into two groups. I'll go on ahead and you guys head back to the dorms. Give me a call if you find anything."

"Doesn't sound much like a group, Senpai," Junpei folded his arms. "You can't play hero, pal."

"Then I'll go with him," Minato volunteered. "That makes a group."

Junpei dropped his arms to his side and stared wide-eyed at their leader. "What? You think you can just go on ahead like that?"

"_You_ agreed." Something in Minato's eyes made the other drop the argument. Akihiko's eyes vacillated between the two.

_What's going on? What did Junpei agree to_?

"All right, all right," Junpei agreed, disgruntled. "You and Senpai go on ahead. We'll head back to the dorms."

Fuuka, Yukari, and Ken appeared just as confused as Akihiko, but Junpei took command the best he could and ushered the others out of the hospital. Once they had left, the boxer turned toward the leader.

"What did you make Junpei agree to?" he asked.

Before Minato had a chance to answer, Akihiko felt a weight attach itself to his arm and he turned to see Suzume, her grip on him tightening.

"I'm not letting you go without me," she announced.

"Tough," he easily pulled out of her grasp. "Look, Suzume, we need to get something straight. I'm not in love with you, nor have I _ever_ had feelings for you. I didn't mind you as a co-worker or even as a friend, but this is too much."

She appeared as though she had just been punched in the stomach. Staggering backward, her eyes full of hurt, she stared at the object of her affection with the same air of betrayal Mitsuru had earlier beheld.

"Are...Are you blaming me because Little Miss Kirijo walked in while you were kissing me? If she hadn't, we would've..."

Akihiko silenced her with a hand and shook his head. "I _never _intended to sleep with you, Suzume. I was in the process of stopping you when Mitsuru showed up. And for the record, I _never kissed you._"

He watched her confidence crumble and her hands flew to her chest. She began to cry.

"Oh," she wailed. "Oh, _Aki!_"

"It won't work this time, Suzume," the boxer told her. He tossed a glance to Minato, "Let's go." Then, back to the wailing girl, "Don't follow me, Suzume." Akihiko exited through the front door.

Minato appeared as though he wanted to say something, but was stopped. He gave one look back to the sobbing girl who had crumpled to the ground and then went after the boxer.

"_Fine!_ I don't _need_ you anyway!" she screamed after them.

\/\/\/

"What did you need to tell me?" Akihiko asked as he drove along the road, feeling determined and stolid.

Minato adjusted himself in the passenger's seat. "We need to get to the school," he confessed. "_Before_ it becomes Tartarus."

"Fat chance," the boxer looked in the rear-view mirror, confirmed no one was around, and quickly swerved the wheel to the left. The tires squealed under the weight of the accelerated vehicle as Akihiko performed a U-turn in the middle of the road and sped back down the other way.

Minato clung to the door handle and the console in between the seats, fear overtaking his face. Akihiko could hear him gasp and the sound of his upholstery stretching under his friend's fingers.

"What?" Akihiko asked, looking at him briefly. "I'm not a bad driver."

"Yes, because _everybody_ makes U-turns in the middle of the road like that."

Choosing to ignore his remark, the boxer glanced down to his digital clock and frowned. It was a quarter to midnight. Instinctively, he floored the gas pedal. The inertia sent Minato back against his seat.

"Why do we need to make it before the school becomes Tartarus, anyway?" the boxer swerved around a loading truck and secretly prayed that there were no cops around.

"I have a hunch. I believe Akiko is turning into a Shadow as we speak. It's taken a while for the effect to come about, but now that we're closer to a full moon, the Shadow inside of her is beginning to emerge. The Lost hear voices and wander into Tartarus."

"So, you think she's headed there to fully evolve into a Shadow?" Akihiko didn't like it when Minato had said it and liked it even less when _he_ did. The frown on his face deepened.

"Yeah. And we can either head her off, or enter the same way she did in order to stay close to her."

"Like with Fuuka..." Akihiko pursed his lips together, the memory coming back to him.

They had camped out in the gym waiting for the Dark Hour to come because that had been the way Fuuka was thrown into Tartarus. The tower was huge and changed each day. If Akiko got lost in there now, the odds of finding her before she became a Shadow were nonexistent.

"Yeah, like with Fuuka."

Akihiko shook his head. "What do we do when we get to her? Can we actually _save_ her?"

"We won't know until we get there..." the younger boy's voice trailed off.

The boxer had known that answer, but was hoping to hear different. "What..." he swallowed hard and thought meticulously on how to voice his question. "What _happened_ when Akiko collapsed? I never got the full details."

"Well..." Minato shrugged. "After you ran out after Mitsuru, Akiko came out to see what the commotion was. Tadao received her and remarked how pale she looked. He took care of her for a while, trying to hydrate her and get some food in her stomach. Then, as he brought her some water, she grabbed hold of him. She mumbled something none of us could hear and collapsed in his arms. Tadao tried to revive her and realized she wasn't breathing. Junpei called an ambulance immediately and I went out to get you."

The story that was pictured in Akihiko's head was dreadful. He couldn't imagine what it had been like to _really_ have been there.

Then a small thought occurred to him.

"Say...Junpei was acting really strange earlier. He was taking care of Akiko, even though he doesn't know her, and then you two said some things at the hospital."

"Oh...About that..."

Akihiko waited almost impatiently. He passed four-hundredth block and looked left.

The school would be coming upon them any moment with almost no time to spare. He hadn't dared to gaze down at his speedometer the entire ride, and the moment he did, he wished he could undo it.

"Ninety-five, huh, Senpai?" Minato followed the other man's gaze and shook his head. "Talking is the only way I've been able to withstand your reckless driving. Good thing the school is another couple of minutes away. We should make it in time."

"D-Don't change the subject," Akihiko pretended that he hadn't seen the speedometer after all. "About Junpei..."

"I know. And don't get mad, please. He overheard my conversation with Mitsuru-senpai about the properties of Shadows. I was trying to figure out Akiko's actual condition. She didn't seem to catch on, but he's smarter than he looks. He confronted me outside of the Command Room and demanded I tell him about Akiko's illness."

"Oh..." Akihiko inattentively slowed his speed and turned into the school gates. They were locked, so he parked in front of them. "So _that's_ why Junpei wanted to watch over her."

"I made him agree to let us handle it and if we needed him, we would let him know. I also told him not to tell anyone else."

"Hope he keeps true to that..." Putting the car in neutral and the brake on, Akihiko stepped out of his car, mirrored by Minato. "We'll probably have to jump the fence like last time."

Akihiko latched himself to the bars like a lizard and began to climb, noting that the pole footholds were far too slick to sustain his weight. Still he tried, and used his arm strength to continue to climb.

"Senpai, let me help," Minato crouched down under Akihiko and allowed the boxer to stand on his back. "That way, you can climb over and unlock the gate from the other side."

Akihiko paused, wondering why he hadn't thought of that. Still, he didn't acknowledge his error and used Minato's body as a stepping stool over the top of the fence. He hopped down the other side, turned, and released the latch from the far side of the gate. The barred doors swung open with a low groan and Minato walked through.

"Let's find Akiko," the boxer said and made his way to the front of the school. He stopped and stared at the main doors. "Wait...they're gonna be _locked._ How are we going to get inside _now?_"

Minato was staring at something Akihiko hadn't quite caught.

"I don't think you're going to have to worry about that one, Senpai. It looks like Akiko's already here."

He pointed to a window halfway along the wall that had been broken into. Shards of glass hung from the windowpane and the rest of it lay shattered on the sill and inside on the floor. Akihiko felt his chest contract.

"How the hell does an eight-year old have a kind of power like _that?_ And how did she climb through the window? She stands barely three feet tall!"

"I wouldn't think of her as _Akiko_ anymore, Senpai." Minato carefully reached inside to undo the latch and then lifted the window open. "The Shadow has complete control of her now."

Akihiko watched as he deftly slid his lanky body through the window and then turn to motion for his friend to climb through. The boxer frowned but followed suit.

"How do _you_ know that the Shadow's got complete control of her? You can't say that for certain."

The younger man sighed. "I believe I can." Looking ahead, he spotted a red dotted trail that led down the hall. Several small ceiling lights had auto-sensed something from a few moments earlier and were dimly lighting the hallway. "Senpai...look..."

Akihiko crouched down in front of a couple of the red dots. Leaning in closer, he bit his lip. The pattern of the splatter, the thickness, the smell...

Running his finger through one of the wet spots, he smeared it across the floor and brought it up to his nose. He took a couple of sniffs.

His heart fell.

"Iron," he confirmed. "It's blood all right." He stood up, panic slowly creeping up on him. "Does that mean she's injured?" he asked, his tone beginning to rise.

Minato grunted and continued to stare ahead. "Let's go, Senpai."

Following the blood trail down the hall, Akihiko watched as it turned left, continued down the remainder of the hall, and into the main lobby.

"That's a lot of blood..." he said, worriedly. "We..." _She could be dead... _"We gotta find her, Minato..." _Dammit...__**Dammit...!**_

The other man stopped, followed the trail with his eyes, then pointed to the steps. "Look!"

Akihiko turned his head, mentally traced the stair rail, and then felt his body get warm. There, crawling up the steps, was the little girl. Her green hospital gown was heavily spotted with red.

"Shit, she's bleeding badly!" Akihiko took to the stairs. "Akiko! _Akiko!_"

The girl did not acknowledge the two boys, and continued to slither up the stairs, grunting and mumbling something inaudible. The boxer raced up the steps, breathing heavily. Minato closed in from behind, and Akihiko reached out with his hands to grasp the girl.

But then she disappeared.

So did the steps. And the walls. And...

"The Dark Hour!" Akihiko heard Minato shout from behind.

The boxer felt his body falling backward, weightless, and his mind closed for a moment. It was as though his life had skipped several moments, blanketed them in darkness, and were cut from his timeline. The world around him transformed, and something painfully attacked his ears as a screech filled the air. He quickly brought his hands to the sides of his face, but couldn't seem to find his ears. He simply had to endure the pain and pray that it didn't last too long. Swirls of colors blinded him, and suddenly his body was stretching and twisting in a way he was fairly sure it wasn't supposed to. From behind he thought he heard his friend's voice, but then there was nothing more.

Except that he was staring up at a green ceiling covered with creepy, glowing liquid.

"I'm pretty certain it didn't feel as bad as the last time we went into Tartarus searching for Fuuka. After all, we didn't get separated this time."

Akihiko barely registered Minato's voice as his mind was still spinning from the transformation. He felt clouded and tired.

"Have you noticed? Tartarus seems...different this time around."

"Ugh..."

The other boy came up from behind and helped the boxer into a sitting position. "Come on now, Senpai. We've gotta find Akiko. Somehow, we lost her when the school shifted into Tartarus."

_That's right...Akiko...Tartarus...Shadows...She's bleeding._

"Mmmmf..." Grabbing for his head, Akihiko felt his mind stir to life, remembering why they were there and what they had been doing. "We gotta find her," he said, but his words were muffled by the arms cradling his head.

"I don't know where to start," Minato confessed, sadly. "We don't have Fuuka or Mitsuru to spot for us. We're on our own."

"It doesn't matter," Akihiko waved at the other boy with one hand. "We'll find her ourselves; we just gotta get up off the floor and head that way."

But getting up was harder to do than thinking about it. Pushing himself into a sitting position, the boxer had to stop to catch his breath and refocus his vision.

Minato was right.

Tartarus _did_ seem different somehow. More exhaustive, more intense, more hostile...

He never had had this much difficulty getting back up before.

"Come on, Senpai," Minato repeated. He came up from behind the boxer, placed his hands under Akihiko's armpits, and tugged.

Trying not to be dead weight, Akihiko did his best to work with the momentum like a spring to get back onto his feet. It took a couple of tries before the two were successful and Akihiko staggered into the wall next to him. After a moment, he found himself to be all right again. Forcing himself to look up, he realized the the corridor before them stretched into darkness.

Usually in the darkness awaited Shadows and those were never fun. Especially since they were on a time crunch.

"Should we split up?" Minato asked after a moment.

The boxer shook his head, "That would be a bad idea. It's just what the Shadow _wants_ us to do. Let's stick together and move cautiously."

"Got'cha."

Waiting for Akihiko to relinquish the wall as his crutch, the two took off on a steady sprint down the glowing hall. Eyes darting from side to side, Akihiko tried to keep his attention peeled for two things: Akiko and stray Shadows.

But there was sight of neither, which baffled the boxer.

"No Shadows?" he mumbled to himself, not wanting to jinx them into an ambush.

No Shadows could be a stroke of luck or something ominous, and Akihiko didn't want the latter. He felt that if he voiced his thoughts to the other, things would become much worse. Akihiko wasn't superstitious, but felt that by keeping his mouth shut, they would find Akiko faster.

But the labyrinthine floor turned up empty on all accounts, and the two turned around to head up the stairs toward the next floor.

Floor...

Which floor _was_ this anyway? Which block? Did either of them even know?

_Doesn't look familiar, whichever the case._

"I hope we're going the right way," Akihiko breathed to Minato, trying not to choke over his words as they continued on a fast pace down the hall. "The longer we dawdle, the more of a chance that..."

"Don't think that way," but Minato picked up speed for some reason. "We'll make it. It'll be okay."

_Akiko..._

Akihiko followed his friend down another corridor, but resulted in a dead end. Turning around, the two crossed over to the other side of the winding floor.

Four floors went by accompanied by silence. And then two more after that. Akihiko felt himself beginning to lose composure. Maybe it was over. Maybe Akiko had been devoured by the Shadows and there were no remnants left. Maybe it was time to call it quits.

Grabbing his arm with his other hand, Akihiko stopped in the middle of the haunted corridor, a faint glow coming from the other side.

"Let's keep going, Senpai," Minato nudged him onward before taking off down the other side, his footsteps reverberating quickly and voluminously into the air.

The rhythmic sound pushed Akihiko forward, and he followed the sound to the beat, his own running footsteps matching Minato's.

_Keep going, Sanada. Just keep going._

Never mind that the Shadows' nest was empty and quiet. Never mind that the corridors seemed to stretch forever. Never mind that they hadn't heard a damn thing since the Dark Hour had come about, save for their own selves.

Never mind...anything.

"Stairs, Senpai. Look." Minato pointed upward and a spiraling staircase was revealed behind the wall.

"How much higher?" the boxer asked to no one in particular as he followed his friend up to the next floor.

"Come on, just keep going. She'll be waiting for us. Come on, just a little further."

Would she? Would she be?

If only Fuuka was around to spot. Or even Mitsuru.

"Check all the floors! We'll find her!"

They darted around the next corner, passed over a small rising and falling staircase, and then ducked around another corner. The room was dark, something echoed in the distance, and then the corridor expanded vastly. A room was revealed with stretching pillars at each wall. The light from the stones in the ceiling illuminated every crevice, and the two silhouettes lying in the middle of the room quickly became defined.

"It..." the rest of Akihiko's sentence died on his lips.

Minato took the initiative and rushed to Tadao's side.

"What's _he _doing here?" the navy-haired youth struggled to bring Tadao to a sitting position, but he was lifeless and the dead weight pulled back toward the floor.

Akihiko grimaced.

"He was looking for her. Do you think the Shadow within Akiko called him here?"

Minato suddenly gazed up at the boxer, sudden realization crossing his face. "I can't believe we didn't see that coming. Tadao was in danger as well."

The boxer flinched and knelt by Akiko's side. She lay crumpled on the floor, unconscious, and nothing Akihiko did could revive her.

"We need to get them both out of here," he said, scooping the child up into his arms. "She needs medical treatment right away. If we can tell Mitsuru what's _really_ wrong with her, then—"

There was no time to finish his thoughts before a roaring explosion sent him hurling across the room into the other wall. He rebounded violently off of it and fell to the floor with a dull thud. He couldn't explain what had just happened, and it took him several seconds to realize that anything had. Scattered stars blinded his vision and Akihiko closed his eyes for a moment before trying to refocus. He took subtle notice that something warm was trailing down the side of his head.

Minato was lying on the opposite side of the room in nearly the same condition. He was hovering over Tadao, having shielded him from the blast. A wound appeared on his forehead but he paid it no mind. His attention was on the clearing smoke and the rising figure in the center of the room. Confused, Akihiko followed his gaze.

Where Akiko had once been was replaced by a looming, monstrous creature, whose shadow crept across the floor until it blocked the light from Akihiko's eyes. The majority of it was covered in scaled armor, and a long tail swung from behind, carelessly bulldozing the wall behind it. The ground rumbled, and pieces of the ceiling and wall broke off and came down in an avalanche onto the floor. Beady eyes glowed from behind the meticulously carved helmet, and four arms were outstretched, claiming the circumference of the room.

"I-Is that _Akiko?_" Akihiko managed, still unable to remove his gaze from the Shadow in the center of the room.

Minato swallowed hard. "I'd be lying if I said no, Senpai." He made sure Tadao was close to the wall before pushing himself to his feet.

Standing before the Shadow, he gazed up bravely and reached for the Evoker located in the white holster on his hip. He brought the barrel to his head and pulled the trigger. A blue aura overtook him, and the Persona of his choice emerged.

"Garudyne!" a vortex of wind began at the Shadow's feet and escalated heavenward. It spiraled at great speed, chained the beast within it, and the cyclone expanded until it faded.

The Shadow staggered backward a few feet before shrugging off the wind's effect. Minato stared at it in bewilderment. He froze as the towering giant went about its business again, and Minato nearly dropped the Evoker from his hand.

"Wind is useless..." Akihiko forced himself to his feet and reached for his own Evoker. He brought it up to his head, mentally calling for Caesar's help. "I won't let you take Akiko, you bastard!"

He triggered the Evoker and a swirl of blue extended from his body. The Persona raised its arms and lightning crashed down from the ceiling. Again, it stunned the Shadow temporarily, but it wasn't long before the beast reclaimed itself. It turned, the palm of one hand the size of a small car, and swiped at the boxer. Akihiko had little time to react, but jumped to the right, eyes still on the swooping claws. Although safe from harm on one end, Akihiko never saw the tail coming.

He was smashed into the ground, the spikes at the end of the Shadow's tail impaling the boxer. He could feel Caesar shielding him from most of the attack, but one caught him directly in the side that sent him back into the wall he had earlier become acquainted with.

"Senpai!"

_Damn..._ was all Akihiko could think. _That really hurt._

The stars returned, fiercer than before, and he could hear a buzzing in his ears. He watched as the shadow of the tail came down upon him again, harder than before since he was already spread eagle on the ground. Mentally, he heard Caesar roar in pain trying to keep his other self safe, and something cracked within Akihiko.

"_Senpai!_"

And then the Shadow turned. Maybe he had refocused his attention on Minato, but then something fiery seized up from under Akihiko's body. He tried to scream in pain—tried to do anything to release himself from the torture—but he was confined to the ground.

"_Bufudyne!_"

Maybe the monster was a bit more shaken up by ice than anything else. It _had_ to be if it was a fire user. What Arcana was the Shadow anyway? If Fuuka had been around, she would've known. Not lovers...Not strength. Well..._maybe_ strength. But it was magical and didn't appear to like ice attacks. After all, it was howling now. Or was that Minato?

Come to think of it, he couldn't hear Minato anymore.

Akihiko lay useless on the ground, damning his weakness. Whatever it was that had been warm and sticky on his forehead was flowing more freely now. He appeared to be swimming in it.

_You're a joke, Sanada,_ he laughed. Laughed? He didn't even know he had the strength to. _You're down after one count? What have you been fighting Shadows for all this time anyway? To lose?_

Well, it was Mitsuru's fault anyway. She banned him from going to Tartarus. He hadn't had a good workout in over a month. Even before he had moved out, the trips up the tower had been painful and stacked with tension between him and Mitsuru. He couldn't concentrate properly. Many times he would find himself so discouraged that he would wait down on the first floor with Fuuka until everyone returned or just go home. It was no wonder he was doing so poorly in battle. He was far too out of shape.

Out of shape...

That was something he considered taboo.

After Mitsuru had broken up with him he found himself in the ring after school hours—even if it wasn't club or training day. If he got stronger—if he did a _lot_ of things—maybe Mitsuru would want him back.

To spite her, he remembered going to the faculty office to apply for a position in Student Council. If he was in the same room with her, she would _have_ to talk to him.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Sanada," the clerk shuffled through his transcripts and list of academic potential crap. "You don't seem to meet our qualifications. Your GPA is far too low."

"It's a three-point-four-three!" the boxer argued. "You let Kimura into Student Council and _his_ GPA is nearly non-existent!"

The clerk's eyes shifted nervously from side to side. "You _see, _Mr. Sanada, what I mean to _say_ is..." She cleared her throat, "There's a lot of paperwork involved and clerical duties. You, being an athlete and all—"

"Mitsuru put you up to this," his eyes narrowed. "She told you to refuse me in case I ever came asking." He grabbed his bag and his coat. "Thanks for your time."

How Mitsuru had ever foreseen him asking to join Student Council was beyond him, although it was brilliant on her part. Since the Kirijos owned the school, she could have leeway that would be considered illegal to everyone else.

Brilliant. So very, very brilliant.

He wanted to tell her so, too. He wanted to kick down her door that night while she was studying and tell her that if she ever wanted to join the boxing team, the answer would already be no. That would teach her.

Teach her a lot of damn things.

"D-Diaram..."

A thud.

A collapsing body.

More fiery heat.

_I __**knew**__ we should've waited for the others before deciding to take on a Shadow. Mitsuru's abilities would've been impeccable at this time. And Akiko would be saved._

That idea was far gone now.

He remembered the smell of baking cookies. Akihiko didn't know why that suddenly came to mind now, but it did. He could almost recognize their scent crawling across his nose at that exact moment. Shinji and Mitsuru were in the kitchen, arguing about making Christmas cookies.

It had been hilarious.

A smile might've crossed Akihiko's lips.

Shinji was adding toffee and cinnamon while Mitsuru wanted to add nuts. Coming into the kitchen to see what the commotion was about, his best friend whirled on his feet and waved the dough covered spatula at him.

"I don't care if she _is_ your girlfriend, Aki! I _refuse_ to work in the same kitchen as her!"

Mitsuru could be bossy, but Shinji was the master cook. Akihiko refused to take sides.

"Fine! No cookies for you!"

Akihiko didn't like sweets all that much anyway, so it was no big loss. Then Ikutsuki almost burned the kitchen down.

_Ha, ha, Shinji. Remember that? I thought you were going to have a heart attack._

It was so close.

Almost as though he were really in the dorms three years ago again. When SEES first started, but it was more like a family. It wasn't the orphanage and he had his best friend and beautiful girlfriend beside him. Before Ikutsuki became a traitor. Back to when he was actually an all right guy.

He wanted to go back. No more Shadows. No more Fall. No more death. Shinji was alive. Mitsuru still loved him. It sounded so good.

From across the way, he thought he saw Minato standing and chatting with a young boy in a striped shirt.

"Are you sure?" the boy asked in a light voice. "You remember the contract, right? You'll accept full responsibility for this?"

_What...what's going on? Who's Minato talking to?_

"Yeah," the blue-haired youth nodded. "She can't die. If there's a way to save her, please...do so."

The young boy frowned. "This will be recorded, I'm afraid. You're certain?"

"Yes. Save the girl."

There was crashing all around him. The walls were coming down.

Maybe he was going to die.

_"You __**moron!**__ Idiot! Get the hell up, Aki!"_

A light. A bright light.

Shinjiro's face.

The blow to his face was so real.

_"I ain't gonna let you die __**here, **__asshole. Don't you still have a job to do? Get __**up!**__"_

"I can't," Akihiko thought he was saying. Shinji appeared to have understood him by his large frown. "What's the use?"

_"You think I'm gonna tolerate that from __**you,**__ Aki? If I gotta beat some sense into ya, don't think I'll hold back."_

"I'm all right with that," Akihiko laid his head back, eyes fluttering.

"Akihiko? Akihiko!"

_"Get __**up!**__"_

"You got him, Yuka-tan? I'll go from behind!"

"Mitsuru-senpai, make sure to steer clear of Junpei's attack!"

Akihiko felt himself being cradled and a warm feeling passed through his body again and again.

"Hey...Shinji," the boxer asked. "What's happening anyway? It's too dark to see."

He could hear his friend give a sharp, "tch," and then say, _"Why don'cha open your eyes and see for yourself? No use in dying here, Aki. If you do, I'll never forgive you. Miki won't either."_

"Why do you have to bring Miki into this?" the platinum-haired man took immediate offense.

_"You'll make her sad, Aki."_

"Akihiko! Can you hear me! Please...Please wake up..."

Shinji's voice was getting harder to hear over the soft sobs from an unfamiliar person. Something splashed on top of his eyelid, and then again on his cheek. The splash felt so real—more real than Shinji had been. More real than him being back in the dorm watching his two favorite people argue about cookies.

"Please don't die on me," the voice was a mixture of anger and grief. He couldn't distinguish between which.

The silence was prominent. No more fighting. No more screaming. The voices in the background had even dulled and were more hushed. The only _real_ thing was the crying from someone above him. The warm sensation still fed through his body over and over, and with each pulsing second, he found it easier to crack open his eyelids.

The light had returned, a sliver shining down into his line of sight. Then something blocked it—or someone, rather. Sad ruby eyes stared back at him, swollen and red. It almost dissolved the ruby within them. They would've been much prettier if they hadn't been so puffy and filled with tears. Then Akihiko felt he should open his eyes a little more to catch this person in view. Red hair in ringlets, a dainty face with a cute nose, but looked so sad.

The figure leaned in closer, tears still trailing endlessly down her face. Akihiko kept his eyes open as best he could, but soon they were half-lidded, and he found them burning with a desire to sleep.

But the figure spoke, and he could not think of sleep any longer.

"Akihiko? Akihiko open your eyes! It's me..." the voice fell to a whisper, "...Mitsuru..."

"Mitsuru...?" the boxer mumbled, his eyes nearly closed. It hurt to speak. His lips were hard and cracked as he pronounced the syllables of the name.

It slowly came back to him with the sound of her name, him repeating it, and the healing power she must've been using with her Persona to keep him alive.

"Oh," she suddenly buried her head in his chest, her hair spilling in pools around him. "Thank _God!_"

He grunted a bit and struggled to open his eyes again. Above him were all of his friends, staring down with worried faces. Minato was being supported on either side by Junpei and Yukari. Fuuka's hands were clasped together and Koromaru and Ken were standing beside her.

"Senpai," Minato, who appeared worse for the wear, began, "You doing all right?"

Mitsuru was still crying in the boxer's chest, which made it hard for him to be vocal, but he gave a weak nod, "What about you? The Shadow got you, too, huh?"

"That Shadow's arcana was the chariot," Fuuka cut in before Minato could. "It was a strong one; there was no _way_ you two could've taken the Shadow down by yourselves!"

"Yeah, what were you _thinking?_" Yukari turned to their leader and scolded. "You could've at least _called_ us or something."

"Oooh, don't bump the ribs, Yukari," Minato cringed. "We were in the Dark Hour—what were we supposed to call you on?"

"If I hadn't taken the hunch you guys would've been here," Junpei added with an arrogant smile, "you two would be pancakes right about now."

"Thanks for the reminder," Minato chuckled while Yukari continued to berate him.

Akihiko gave a small laugh as to not hurt himself more than he knew he was. Mitsuru finally pulled her head up, wiped at her face with one hand, and then looked away.

"Well then," she began, "now that everyone seems all right, I insist we take these four to the hospital."

"Me, too?" Minato blinked. "But I'm all right."

"You have a cracked rib, buster," Yukari's brows furrowed. "That's _certainly_ not 'all right!'"

"W-What about Akiko?" Akihiko felt his heart beating faster. "And Tadao?"

"They're all right," Fuuka closed her eyes. "I don't know what happened, but they're both all right. They appear as though they're in a peaceful sleep."

Sleep? But Akiko had turned into a monster and—

And who _was_ that boy who Minato was talking to? Wait...had he even been _talking_ to _anybody?_ All those flashbacks...dreams...were they even real? Had Shinji been real, too?

Akihiko felt himself going limp, his body protesting for sleep.

"Let's get them down to the bottom," he heard Mitsuru say as he closed his eyes. "We need to rush them to the hospital at once."

"Rush? What's the rush, Senpai?" Junpei asked. "They're all alive aren't they?"

"Don't argue with me, Iori. Help me with Akihiko. We have to get the child and her brother down as well."

Mitsuru...

Akihiko found himself smiling.

She was here. She was worried. He was so scared he was never going to see her again.

When he woke up next, he vowed to set things straight.

\/\/\/

Well, here it is. I hope the fight didn't seem _too_ off with Akihiko. I wanted to express the fact that being out of Tartarus and away from Shadows would put him out of shape, plus angst with Mitsuru and...yeah. Hope the chapter was all right. If not, please let me know why. Be kind because flames will be used to burn the same batch of cookies that Ikutsuki did and burn down the dorm kitchen. Sad Holiday.

LAST chapter will be up soon!

ML


	7. The Vow Bridges the Divide

**Disclaimer:** Don't own...nossing! For the very last time in this story...I own nossing!

**A/N:** Well, here we are at the end of this story. Took me long enough, and I didn't even finish it at Christmas! Shameful of me. Anywho, you've all been a terrific audience and thank you for putting up with my lackadaisical writings. I _am_ contemplating a Shinjiro/FeMC fic and even have the first chapter written out. But my guilty conscience won't let me post until I've finished a couple of stories I've been putting off. I hope to do so soon (Ha. Look at me. _Soon._ Such lies.) so that I might be able to start posting.

By the way, _this_ chapter is written from Mitsuru's POV...for _once!_ Now we'll know why she's been a big, stinky, meany who broke Akihiko's heart. XD

Amn – Your wish is my command. :-D

A Certain Failing Author – Why, thank you! I'm flattered that you feel that way. I haven't read any Akihiko emo fics, but I know from experience it's hard to portray a character who has never been put into that situation before. I noticed you're also a Mana Khemia fan (you rock!), so you're familiar with Flay Gunnar. Putting him into a depressing situation is worse than sitting on a pin cushion...needles sticking out, of course. I'm also flattered that you wanted to fav my story, and I don't mind at all. When I get a moment, I'll be checking out your Mana Khemia/Tales of the Abyss fics too. :-D Anywho, hope the last chapter works. I always feel weird when a story comes to an end, as though I haven't done something right...Oh well.

CFUnlimited – Glad you thought so! I was a little worried, really. Thank you for reading, and I hope that the last chapter works well. :-D

Aeon Arcana – Thank you for your wonderful review. I tried to make everything fit the best I could with _some_ form of believability. Hope it worked and hope you enjoy this last chapter. As for Shinji/FeMC...hahaha, you read my mind. I'll try to work on that one extra hard for you. Thank you for reading!

Advocate of Pain – Thank you for saying so! OCs always worry me because I never want one to feel like a Mary Sue/Gary Stu or not blend into the story appropriately. I hope the last chapter lives up to the tension I've been building. As I stated to an earlier reviewer, last chapters always worry me. I always want to go back and rework stuff. I hope I can suppress the urge this time, haha. Thank you for your kind review and I hope you enjoy the ending.

Thanks to all! You've been wonderful! See you on the flip side.

**\/\/\/**

**Divided By the Vow**

**Chapter Seven**

**The Vow Bridges the Divide**

**\/\/\/**

Mitsuru remained uneasy for the next three days.

Most of her thoughts remained with the injured at the hospital and Fuuka had to remind her that it was Christmas morning. Minato was the least wounded and had been released Christmas Eve. Yukari devoted her attention to the recuperating leader, although it was abundant with sharp tongue lashings and occasional abuse over his reckless behavior. Nevertheless, her intentions were in the right place, and Minato seemed to understand that, too.

Turns were taken at the hospital since the attack at Tartarus, but Mitsuru was insistent on extra shifts. Her worry chained her, and every time she exited through the hospital doors, the weight sank deeper within her stomach. Remaining composed through difficult situations was supposed to come naturally to her, but it betrayed her now.

Akihiko had remained unconscious since leaving the Shadow's nest, and, although the doctor had assured his stability, was unable to guarantee the next time he would awaken.

Mitsuru tried everything to break the spell of slumber that had been cast upon him.

Talking, reading aloud, and physical contact proved effortless, and the Kirijo heiress was reduced to a sobbing ball in the corner chair, wondering if he would ever wake up. Suppressing the vehement doubts that wandered into her mind was no easy task.

Tadao and Akiko's mother and uncle arrived on the morning of the twenty-third, alarmed and disheveled. How had this happened? What was wrong with Tadao? Mitsuru couldn't find an appropriate lie. Never had she been good at deliberately lying, her poker face had always been enough to get her by, but her energy had been spent on Akihiko. She was thankful the doctor had stood beside her and that his testimony was believable. Akiko had been sleepwalking and her brother suffered from mental overload. However unrealistic the scenario, it still didn't change the fact that Akiko was well again.

Well...

"Well" was something Mitsuru never expected to hear with Akiko's name in the same sentence. How had it happened? She was dying last anyone knew. Now, here she was, eating, drinking, and talking again. Junpei had been around the most, taking over where big brother Akihiko had left off. Tadao came around the same morning, early enough to still enjoy Christmas Eve with the best present of all.

The family was back together again. It was a miracle.

Mitsuru didn't believe in miracles.

There was always a logical explanation for everything that occurred in life. In the case of Akiko, a Shadow had been infiltrating her body and Akihiko and Minato had attempted to take it out. Regardless, the child should've died.

That was the _one_ thing still puzzling Mitsuru.

She _should've_ died.

Not that the heiress was complaining, of course, but the point was that it didn't make any sense.

However, the doctor was absolutely certain. There was no more lingering presence of the Shadow within her. After her release, Akiko would never have to come back to the hospital on account of _this_ sickness again.

The two were released just hours before Minato, and Mitsuru watched them from the lobby.

"Tell Akihiko-kun to get better soon," the little girl told Mitsuru. Satoru and Manami stood in the background with Tadao, silent as the child approached the older woman.

Taken aback by her tiny, yet powerful, words, Mitsuru found herself speechless. Akiko gazed up at the redheaded woman.

"He'll be all right, won't he?" she asked, her eyes soft and moist. "He helped me get well. I want to help him, too. He likes you so much. Please take care of him."

"I..." Mitsuru's jaw was trembling, and she slowly lifted her eyes back to the family. "I will," she managed.

"Thank you," Akiko leaned forward and quickly wrapped her arms around the woman's mid-section.

It was the second time Mitsuru found herself unable to do anything, but before she could respond, the child had already released her and was back by her mother's side.

"Thank you, whatever you did," Manami tried to smile, but her quaking lips made it difficult. "You saved my family."

"I...Don't...Don't worry about it..." Mitsuru's eyes hit the floor. Minato had told her something—something that Akihiko had told him.

Manami's family was poor, _far_ too poor to pay the mountainous hospital bills they had racked up. It was awkward, but, at the same time, something she felt was necessary.

"I...I just want you to know," Mitsuru found the strength to face the family again, "the Kirijo group will take care of any outstanding charges that may have resulted during Akiko's hospital visits."

Satoru stumbled and Manami's hands fled to her mouth to restrain a loud gasp. Tadao shouted, "What?" and grabbed at his hair.

"You _can't_ be serious," the mother shook her head. "Do you _know_ how much that will cost the organization?"

"Indeed," the redhead gave a single nod and folded her arms over her chest. "But you've been through enough. Please allow my family to take care of the rest."

Words escaping her, Manami took a single step forward, stopped, then tried again. She continued until her arms were around the Kirijo woman and she was wailing into her shoulder.

The rush of emotions were swirling around Mitsuru, and staying strong was becoming more of a strenuous task. But she couldn't cry. No. She couldn't...

Manami left, still sobbing, and Satoru's glistening eyes were understood as a wordless, "thank you," before placing a hand on Akiko's shoulder. He led both girls to the door. Tadao stayed behind, staring at Mitsuru for a long while.

Uncomfortable under his gaze, she finally asked, "Is there something wrong?"

"Yeah, there is. One more thing is bothering me." He took a step forward, never once breaking eye contact. "Listen, Mitsuru, I can never repay you for what you've done for my sister and family. I would never be able to crawl out from under that debt. Maybe that's why I have no right to ask this of you."

The redheaded woman cocked her head to the side, brows furrowing. She was nervous, and wasn't sure she liked how Tadao was looking at her. "What is it?"

"Akihiko loves you, more than I've ever seen a guy like a girl. Even when Suzume was trying to get with him, his loyalty was always to you."

Suzume.

Mitsuru's mind flashed with images of her and Akihiko sharing a passionate kiss in the door frame of his room. How she contemplated for hours about attending the party...How she wanted to speak to him...By wearing a dress he had given her, she knew he'd understand that. But...then...

Even now the cracks in her mended heart were large and irreparable.

"I saw them kissing," she confessed in a whisper, though the anger simmered low beneath the base of her throat. "They're together now."

Tadao snorted. "Come off it, Sister. Whatever you saw, I'm sure it was Suzume induced. The Captain's devoted, no matter how many times I've tried to set him up with different girls, it's always come back to _you._ You're not gonna convince me any different, even if you say you saw them kissing."

Mitsuru's back straightened and she crossed her arms again, tighter than before. "And how would you know _this?_"

"Simple. He started driving and got a part-time job in order to impress you. Made a little extra cash to show responsibility. But, even half of the time I was with him he was always somewhere else. He was always the saddest guy at school, his heart wasn't into nothing anymore. Boxing, classes, working out...He gave up."

Mitsuru's arms unlocked and she felt them fall away to her sides. Her mind began to reel, and she could feel every sting of truth hit her. Akihiko had stopped attending the trips to Tartarus. She never heard him upstairs beating on the floor while he worked out anymore. Even eating healthy was no longer a priority, and she hadn't seen him eating much at all, regardless. She had thought it maybe an illusion to herself, but he had lost quite a bit of weight and muscle mass. Bags had appeared under his eyes, and all enthusiasm had left him.

Was that it? An...illusion?

A hand touched her arm, and Mitsuru jolted from the unexpected touch. Tadao had moved closer, and his eyes were softer, even if his words were still just as stolid.

"And so, the favor I ask you is to please stop torturing him. He's one of my best friends and I can't stand it anymore. He loves you, and from what I've noticed by you being here the past couple days, you love him, too. So knock this crap off and work things out, all right?"

He didn't wait for her to respond, not that she thought she could even if he had waited a thousand minutes. Tadao patted the same arm as before and moved out the door after his family.

Mitsuru remained in the lobby for a long while, and she mentally kicked herself for letting Tadao walk away. She wanted to ask more—more about Akihiko and what had been happening in the last few months. It was important—all had become important.

Now she was left to wonder.

And here it was, Christmas Day, with no new improvements. Akihiko suffered from fatigue, four broken ribs, a concussion, a broken leg, scrapes, and bruises. The others had already come by to wish the boxer a Merry Christmas, despite his unconsciousness, but Mitsuru remained in the waiting room. She hadn't realized she had dozed off until the doctor shook her awake, urgency in his voice.

"He's awake, Miss Kirijo. Akihiko is finally _awake._"

"What?" she grabbed hold of his arm, struggling to focus. "Wait, he...I..."

"But he's demanding to be released."

There was a sudden pause and Mitsuru's eyes fell half-lidded.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

"I...uh..."

The door behind them suddenly opened, and a platinum-haired figure in a hospital gown staggered through, leaning against the wall for support.

"Akihiko!" Mitsuru jumped up, releasing herself from the doctor. "What on earth...?"

He stared at her with transparent eyes and giant intakes of breath, obviously winded from his tromp through the hospital. He didn't say anything at first, his knocking knees and shaking hands evident from where she stood. A cast encased his right leg, and so he kept all of his weight on his left. He remained against the wall, and he swallowed, the large lump that was his adam's apple bobbed up and down once.

"Mr. Sanada," the doctor moved away from Mitsuru in an effort to calm the boxer. "Please, you're not well. You shouldn't be wandering the halls in your condition. Allow me to escort you back to your room, and—"

"I want my release forms," he interrupted. "It's not up for negotiation. It's Christmas and I refuse to spend it in a damn hospital bed."

"Akihiko," Mitsuru stepped in. "Perhaps you should—"

"I'm going home," he announced.

After a few more minutes of deliberation and failed persuasion, the nurses helped Akihiko back to his room to prepare him with medication and crutches to help him walk.

Once he left, the doctor turned to Mitsuru and shrugged. "He only became belligerent after I told him you were in the lobby, waiting for him to wake up."

"I see..." Mitsuru lowered her eyes.

"Would you like for me to arrange a ride home for him?"

"That won't be necessary. I can have someone come to take us home."

She called for a chauffeur in a long, black limousine.

It didn't take long for Akihiko's release papers to be in order, and the boxer hobbled out on crutches. He was dressed in some winter clothes she had the chauffeur bring from the dorms that belonged to Minato, as he had graciously offered them for Akihiko, and he was watching her in silence.

"Please don't let him overdo it," the doctor begged. "He caught the worst out of all four of them."

"Don't worry," Mitsuru whispered, watching the platinum-haired man slowly make his way to the door.

Click. Step. Click. Step. Click. Step.

The rhythmic movement made her smile, watching him move so slowly when she was used to seeing him quick on his feet.

"I'll take care of him," she concluded before following after.

The first half of the trip was spent in silence as the limousine made its way across town. The middle window was up so that the two teens could have complete privacy without being eavesdropped. Akihiko's crutches had been moved to the trunk and he sat on the very far right side, while Mitsuru sat across from him.

He was trying his hardest not to stare at her.

She observed the contour of his face: the bandage looped around his head, the band-aid slapped onto his cheek, the cast around his outstretched leg...

"You look worse for the wear," she finally said, breaking the silence between them.

"Thank you," he replied, though his tone was less than pleasant.

"How do you feel?"

Akihiko shrugged. "Like hell, I guess."

He was trying to drop the conversation. She could tell.

"Akihiko," she started, but let the word fall into a sigh. She waited a moment before trying again. "Akihiko, why didn't you stay at the hospital? They could treat you better from there."

"I told you. I want to go home."

"To your apartment? After everything that happened?"

He grunted. He was chewing on the prospect of living there, she knew. Issues had come up.

"Suzume will probably move out," the boxer said. "Tadao and I will have to look for a new roommate."

"No," Mitsuru shook her head. "Tadao said he's moving back home with his mom and sister. He's letting go of the apartment."

"Really?" Akihiko's eyes went wide and then dropped.

She knew what he was thinking.

"You can move back home, Akihiko. It's not like you won't have a place to live after this."

He flinched. Mitsuru watched him for a while, but he refused to look at her. Eyes falling to his hands, she realized that they were in tight, uncomfortable fists.

"Nothing happened..." he murmured.

"Excuse me?"

"With Suzume. Nothing happened. She forced herself on me."

The moment of truth.

Mitsuru had been somewhat expecting it, especially after her talk with Tadao. In all honesty, she had been running his words over and over again in her mind for the past twenty-four hours since his and Akiko's release. It would be so easy to refuse to forgive Akihiko, despite the fact that, deep down, she knew he had done nothing wrong. He was confessing for a reason, and had obviously been wanting to get this off his chest for quite a while.

"I know," she said after a moment.

His eyes shot up and locked with hers, wide and fearful. Mitsuru knew that this was the last thing he had expected her to say.

And there he sat on the other side of the limousine, bundled up in a winter coat and gloves lent to him by Minato, his feeble cast adding to the reality of his brutal mortality, while the bandage around his head had become loose. A pin had probably slipped out somewhere.

"Do you...mind if we stop somewhere?" he asked, unsure and almost frightened.

Frightened.

When had been the last time Akihiko was frightened?

Mitsuru bit her lip.

She could think of two, and they had both happened within the same day.

The day she broke up with him and when Shinjiro died.

"Where do you want to go?" she asked, struggling to keep her composure.

"Naganaki Shrine. I wanted to talk with you in a more private area."

She shrugged. "We _are_ in privacy. Honada can't hear anything we're saying."

"No," Akihiko shook his head. "_Real_ privacy. Please, Mitsuru."

It was her turn to feel uncomfortable as he kept his pleading eyes on hers. His fists had unclenched, and his bottom lip pushed out to capture his top in a pitiful, sad, childlike sort of way.

And it was Christmas.

She closed her eyes, reached up above her, and pressed a button.

_"Yes, ma'am?"_ came Honada's voice over the intercom.

"Change of plans. Stop by Naganaki Shrine before heading home."

_"Right away, Miss Kirijo."_

Mitsuru could feel a smile tugging at the ends of her lips when Akihiko's eyes lit up in appreciation.

They were only a few minutes out from the shrine, and they, once again, sat in awkward silence. The limousine pulled up on the curb in front of the shrine and Mitsuru offered to get out first to retrieve Akihiko's crutches. Once they were in hand, she came around to the other side, where his door had already been opened, and passed them off to him.

"Thank you," he said, and positioned his underarms to rest atop each one.

Pushing himself up on one foot, he used the momentum of his crutches and his one foot to carry him across the cobblestone. Mitsuru followed him, silently. She glanced back once to make sure that Honada wasn't going anywhere, but inwardly she knew he wouldn't leave without her permission. He was very loyal that way.

"Let's sit on these stairs," he pointed to the base of the shrine.

"All right," she followed and sat down next to him.

He placed his crutches by his side and sat there for a moment. Akihiko stared into the sky, watching the clouds overhead. A chilly breeze passed through each of them, causing Mitsuru to pull up on her scarf.

"Winter's definitely here," he said, sighing.

"Yes."

"Merry Christmas, Mitsuru."

"Merry Christmas, Akihiko."

He turned his eyes on her. She watched him, curiously.

"I have a present for you," he confessed. "I made sure I had it before we left the hospital. It's been around my neck on a chain for a while now, and I'm glad the doctors didn't cut it when they rushed me into the emergency room."

His words formed a knot in her chest, and her fingers fumbled with each other. He slowly reached up around his neck, fidgeted with something she couldn't see, and then held a balled fist out toward her. She eyed it, feeling more uncertain and scared than she had before they had arrived at the shrine.

"Before I give it to you, however, I have something I'd like to say."

He was waiting for her attention, so she broke her eyes from his fist and stared back up at him.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Mitsuru..." he took in a deep breath. "No matter the circumstances, I believe, and always will, that you were wrong for what you did."

She leaned back, guilt seating itself beside her. Somehow, just as the rest of the day had gone, she knew this had been coming.

"You broke my heart," he continued, "in ways that I don't even know how to explain. It's too difficult, I find. But, I think I've finally come to terms with it. No matter what, I will always love you, despite what's happened. However..." he slowly uncurled his fist and a silver chain with something attached fell looped around a single finger for her to see, "...I don't want to carry that love around anymore. It hurts too much."

Mitsuru was paralyzed. She couldn't accept the chain and so he set it in her lap. All she found she could do was hold her eyes to it, waiting, as though it would do something.

"Maybe living back at the dorms still isn't what's best for us. I think I'm going to try and keep the apartment. I'm sure Satoru will help me with that. As for SEES...well...that's entirely up to you. Even though it's over between us, I want it to be possible for us to be friends. I hope we can." He patted her hand and reached over for his crutches.

The spell was broken and she tore her eyes away from the chain as he stood up, and positioned himself under the crutches.

"Thank you for the ride," he smiled. "I can walk home from here."

Akihiko turned to leave, slowly making his way down the steps. Mitsuru watched him leave, wanting to cry out—_dying_ to say something.

Why couldn't she?

What was wrong?

No...

No, this...

He was passing though the gates now. He gave a small wave to Honada, and then Akihiko was on his way. He disappeared from her view in a matter of moments.

Mitsuru's eyes fell to her trembling hands where she now beheld Akihiko's present. The chain was solid silver, she didn't need an expert to identify that, and the piece in the middle suddenly broke into two. Fearing that she had broken his gift already, Mitsuru peered forward, scrutinizing the objects.

Interlocking rings.

Silver.

In the middle it read...

"True love waits," she choked out, tears brimming at her eyes.

Squeezing her fingers around the chain and rings, she forced her attention to the sky to keep the waiting hot moisture from spilling over. But it didn't quell her quivering lips or the tightness in her chest. In a moment, the pain seared through her unsuspecting form, and she doubled over in wracks and sobs.

"Father, you wished to see me?" Mitsuru of three months ago had been arranged to see Takeharu Kirijo at a private penthouse across town.

He was in the vicinity on business, but never liked to make his presence known. It surprised the heiress that her father would take time out of his busy schedule to ask her to come by.

The man was seated with his back to her in a large recliner. Sometimes it made her uneasy when she couldn't see his face.

She never knew if the visit would end up good or bad.

He whirled around, his lips pressed into a thin line. In one hand he held a folded piece of paper. Without words, he passed it off to her. Mitsuru took a step forward to receive it, all the while thoughts of what it contained filled her.

Bending back the creases, she focused on the center image. Recognizing immediately, she hurled it to the ground and locked eyes with her father.

"You're having me _watched?_"

He laced his fingers together firmly. Brows furrowing, he replied, "It's my duty to find out what my daughter is doing, and..." he drew out the next set of words, "who she's _seeing._"

Mitsuru's teeth clenched and her eyes fell back to the crumpled picture of her and Akihiko sharing a kiss in front of Iwatodai Station. She remembered that day. The embrace had come unexpectedly from Akihiko, but it was warmly reciprocated.

Now Mitsuru remembered why she wanted to avoid public displays of affection.

"How did you think I would react to this?" Takeharu asked, leaning forward.

"I already knew. That's why I never told you."

There was a pause between the two and he finally allowed himself to drift back into the chair.

"This will never work, Mitsuru. You need someone more stable, someone who can support you."

"Akihiko _does_ support me—every night when we go into Tartarus."

"There are more things to a man than his capability of fighting Shadows. When the fighting is done, when it's all stripped away, what does Akihiko have left?"

She shook her head, wildly, red locks waving around her. "You're not being fair. It's not always about financial status, Father."

"You forget your place," his tone was slightly rising. "You are a _Kirijo,_ Mitsuru, and as one, you have many responsibilities. You would sacrifice everything for a boy?"

Her hand involuntarily clenched into a fist. "And more, if need be."

"You're still young. You don't know what the world is _really_ like. The times we live in are hard, but don't throw away your future for something that won't last."

Won't...last?

"What makes you believe that you can _see_ into my future?" she was trying her hardest not to yell—to stay calm—but... "What makes you believe that Akihiko and I won't last?"

"You're giving him a way out, Mitsuru. He will never have to work, never grow up to become the man you need, and never pursue any of his own dreams. You are _giving_ him that life on a silver platter, and he won't want for anything."

Something struck Mitsuru and she found her anger fleeting. She couldn't believe what she was hearing—what was being _told_ to her by her own father_._ She crossed her arms, furious.

"You...You think Akihiko is only after my money? My status?"

"Don't misunderstand me, Mitsuru. Akihiko is a fine lad, but a fine lad who came from nothing. With you by his side, you enable him to hold onto that frail image so that a better living comes expected."

"Akihiko is _not_ frail. His strength has pushed us along time and time again. For you to even _think_ so lowly of him..."

She fought to think of more—say more—but her words died on her lips before she could form them, and her folded arms uncrossed and wilted to her sides. Takeharu kept exemplary composure, as he always did. When it was apparent that she had no more to say, he continued.

"I have already found you a suitor, Mitsuru. I would like for you to meet him. I'm sure you'll find him charming."

"Like you and mother? An arranged marriage?" The heiress turned away, "I should've known..."

"I did not raise you unaware of this. It is for the best, Mitsuru, to end things as quickly as possible."

She straightened her back and tried one last time to surround herself with an air of power.

"And if I refuse?"

The ends of her father's lips twitched. It was a slight loss of composure—one that Mitsuru was positive she would never see again in her lifetime.

"We have gone through so much, with my father's curse and the maintenance of the SEES organization. I will not risk what I have left." Clearing his throat, he sat erect in the chair. It was amazing how he could be sitting and still have more control than Mitsuru. "I allowed Akihiko into our care. I can certainly take him out of it."

Her jaw went slack.

"Y-You mean...You..." Her face fell into her hands. "...You _wouldn't...!_"

"I could have him placed under arrest, tossed from school, stripped from the boxing team, whatever it takes for you to stay away from him."

Maybe she was crying. If she was, she was crying for Akihiko. Or maybe her father. Maybe it was even for her own lack of strength.

She heard her father sigh, though her face was still covered.

"I...I hate hurting you, Mitsuru, and threatening you is only worse. Please...understand that I do this out of the love I have as a father."

Mitsuru dropped her hands, but found that she couldn't look at him.

She couldn't look at anything.

Nothing but the chain and rings in her lap.

Her father died two months later, and reconcile was lost between them.

Why then did she keep Akihiko at a distance? Had she finally believed what her father had said? Was he lowly? No status? No money?

He got a part-time job, his license, even his own place. Anything to prove his worth.

Anything to prove his love.

Takeharu had love, too.

Mitsuru knew his heart had been in the right place. His presence as a father had always been awkward because he didn't know how to be one. He didn't know how to be one because his father had never been one to him. And he had never really wanted to harm Akihiko. He enjoyed the boy's company, in fact. But letting go was one thing Takeharu Kirijo had had difficulties with, even at the end.

Mitsuru's finger found her way into the little hole the ring made.

It fit perfectly.

Akihiko remembered everything about her from facial expressions down to her tiny ring size.

Mitsuru slipped it off, jumped from the steps, and dashed after Akihiko, wherever he had gone. When she reached the gates to Naganaki Shrine, her eyes wandered. Her ears caught the soft echoing of clicking crutches, and sharply turned right.

Akihiko hadn't managed to hobble away too far, and was still more than a speck in her peripheral view. Charging after him, heart beating wildly, she clutched the necklace in a single hand.

"Akihiko! _Akihiko!_" she called out after his retreating form.

She was grateful when he stopped and barely turned, his crutches prohibiting him from doing much more. Mitsuru slowed herself before long and continued toward him with a brusque walk.

"Mitsuru, what is it?" he asked, shifting his weight on the crutches.

"It was my father," she confessed as she came closer. "My father found out about us. He threatened your school career if we didn't stop seeing each other." His eyes widened and he struggled to say something. She bit down on her lip. "I...I'm so sorry..."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" he asked in a hoarse whisper. "Why? We could've worked it out..."

"No," she shook her head. "I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't allow you to be hurt because of my selfish desire to keep our relationship going."

"W-What...?" A flash of pain crossed his face. "You felt _selfish_ for our relationship? How could you even _think_ that way? Don't _I_ have a say in what went on between us?"

Her defenses crumbled and he turned away from her. Mitsuru didn't want to know what he was thinking, although she was positive she already had a good idea. Usually, she could read Akihiko's mind through his actions and expressions. At this particular moment, she felt that he had a right mind to slap her. And he wouldn't have been wrong if he did.

Sighing, he said, "It's just...I would've rather taken that risk than not be with you at all. You don't know what it's _been_ like."

She shifted, pursing her lips together. Day upon day she could think of nothing else, and worst was how she could not be there to comfort Akihiko through his best friend's death. She doubted she could ever forgive herself for that, or ask forgiveness from him, either.

"Yes, I do," she retorted. "You think that just because I ended things I felt nothing for what had happened? I didn't know _how _I was going to survive, and just seeing you everyday was that same knife twisting in my heart." Her voice dropped, as did her head. "That's why I began avoiding you at the dorms. I couldn't take it anymore. Four years I spent with you, and suddenly had to do without. It was like a piece of me no longer functioned. I just didn't care anymore."

There was a pause, and Mitsuru wondered if Akihiko was even paying attention anymore. She glanced up and locked eyes with his.

They were glistening.

Many days she spent making him cry, she knew it, and every time she felt the urge to strike herself. It grew tiresome watching him cry. She couldn't handle it anymore.

"That night..." she began again, desperately trying to distract herself from what she was witnessing, "...when we shared it together...It was what I wanted. My father had the control to tear us apart and I was angry with him. He and I never got past that. When he died, I felt betrayed. He severed my relationship with you, and then left me behind. Being with you...it was my way of taking revenge on my father." Realizing how selfish that sounded, she quickly added, "But it was the only way I could be near you again. I never used you, in case that's what you were thinking." She didn't wait to hear his thoughts before she pressed on, "I suppose you think it cowardly to have kept avoiding you, knowing what you know now, after my father passed. I thought so, too. A lot. But it felt like I didn't deserve you anymore. I had given you up in my family name, and I lost all rights to you. Spending the night together was the most amazing thing that had ever happened to me, but afterward it reminded me of the pain I had put you through to get there. It was the ultimate betrayal against you. I could never disguise my shame after that."

"Mitsuru..." he tried to take a step forward, but the crutches prohibited him in the way he wanted to, in turn making it awkward.

She tore her gaze from him. "It would have been only fair if you had replaced me with Suzume. I couldn't have handled it, but I could not judge you for it. After all, _I_ let you go." Holding out her fist, she uncurled it to reveal the necklace and chain Akihiko had given her. She recognized the sadness in his face as his eyes fell on it.

He quietly asked, "Are you giving this back to me?"

Her hand was trembling, and her voice cracked, "Our love _can't_ wait. I let you go."

She felt a hand come into contact with hers as Akihiko plucked the chain from her hand.

"But I never let _you_ go."

His hand was on her arm. The crutch he had been using fell to the ground with a resounding clunk, and left all of his weight and balance on one leg.

He dropped the other crutch next.

Akihiko remained still for a moment, and took a limped step toward her. He abruptly reached around her neck, taking her by surprise. He kept that position for a few moments, his hands working at something, but Mitsuru was blind as to what it was. Before she had the opportunity to ask what he was doing, he had already stepped back, admiring his handiwork.

Confused, Mitsuru's attention focused down at the chain across her chest, two rings resting at the center. She glanced up to say something, but Akihiko was busy fighting with centrifugal force. The latter won and he lost footing. He fell forward against her while Mitsuru kept her ground. Arms wrapping around him, she found her face to be within the crook of his neck. He grabbed her for support, and grunted.

The rush of wind made contact with her face, and she could smell his skin and hair, his usual cologne lingering from them. It was all too familiar. Memories associated with that cologne flooded back to her—Their first kiss, the aroma of sweat, cologne and after-shave post-battle, passing by in the school hallway, cuddling while watching movies...

She did not register the cry that escaped her until after she had tightened her embrace. Mitsuru could not explain how much she had missed this—missed _him._ After all the pain and tears she had put him through, he still found a way to hold her close.

"I'm so sorry," she sniffled, not sure when she had begun to cry until she recognized the wet trails that started from her eyes and followed down to her chin.

"I've missed you," he confessed, his voice soft.

She was shaking, but so was he, and they held each other tightly. Akihiko pulled back after a moment to stare at her. His eyes were red and puffy, and Mitsuru's were only a mirror image of his sadness. Removing his arms from her waist, they found their way to the sides of her face. He took her cheeks into his palms gingerly, still locked with her eyes.

Then his eyes narrowed.

"Don't _ever_ do this again," he told her before forcefully pulling her face into his.

It wasn't the roughest kiss she had ever experienced from him, but the passion was a missed touch that fulfilled her, the familiarity causing Mitsuru to hunger for it more. She had forgotten how soft his touch had been, how protective his embrace, and how good this felt. For the first time, she didn't care _who_ saw them, and it was more than likely that Honada was watching already.

It didn't matter.

How she had allowed herself to let him slip away based on family agendas, she couldn't comprehend.

His tongue wrestled with hers, their hands sought all over each part of their bodies, as though it had never been discovered before, and the heat of Akihiko's breath fell against her cheek. She ran her fingers through his hair, accidentally pulling the rest of the bandage from his head. It was amazing how it felt so foreign, and yet, she could predict every move he made, just as he hers. Two souls intertwined. Mitsuru couldn't imagine a suitor taking his place.

And then an uncontrollable urge fed through her and would not dissipate, even through the intensity of the kisses and body contact.

Mitsuru pulled back and blurted out, "I love you, Akihiko."

He had been in the middle of pulling her back into his kiss when the words registered in his ears.

The boxer's eyes widened.

Mitsuru knew why.

In the near four years they had been together, although she had felt it, and told him as much, the perfectly articulated sentence had never left her lips. She never knew why it had been so hard to do, considering she had confessed she felt love and that it was toward him. Maybe because her father's shadow was always there. Maybe it was because of her own insecurities. She didn't know.

Mitsuru believed that actions spoke louder than words, and showing her love was more important that declaring it. It wasn't as though Akihiko had ever questioned her about it before. But from the look on his face now, it had come across as rather important.

His disbelief transitioned into a beautiful smile and he leaned in.

"Merry Christmas, Mitsuru."

The chain around her neck jingled as she kissed him again. The two rings clinked against each other, reading, "true love waits."

\/\/\/

Yay! Done with this story :-D I really hope you guys enjoyed it and sorry that it took so long to get this out. I wrote this while working graveyard...and reread/proofread while working graveyard as well, so I'm not sure if there are any glaring errors I overlooked. If there are, please let me know (in a friendly sort of way lol) so that I can revise. Anywho, I _do_ plan on doing another P3 story (Shinjiro/FeMC, as I mentioned before. There will, of course, be Akihiko/Mitsuru in it as well), and I'll try to get that one up sometime soon. Until then, thank you for reading!

ML


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